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THE SINNER’S GUIDE. 

*. uaKirrii W 


Ven. LOUIS OF GRANADA, O.P. 



tw. t>- V. tv 


A NEW AND REVISED TRANSLATION BY A 
FATHER OF THE SAME ORDER. 



1884 . 




Thb Library „ A q 

®b Congress 

wambnoto^PPR BATIOUS. ' ^04- 


IPi&fmus et Hpprobavimue: 

fr. c. ii. Mckenna, o p 

Fr. J. L. O’NEIL, O.P., ’’ 

Neo-Eborac, Die 15 Novembrie, 1888. 


imprimatur: 


Fr. M. D. LILLY, O.P., 

Prior Provincialis, 

Neo-Eboraci, Die 15 Novembris, 1883. ^ nClCt ^ ose P^> 


imprimatur: 

* JOHN J. WILLL\MS, D.D., 

By hie Vicar-General. "*"*“*** Vision. 

Boston, November 22,1883. 


Copyright, 188 ^by C. 11. McKenna. 











Brief of Our Holy Father Gregory XIII. 


To our well beloved Son, Louis of Granada, of the Order 
of Friars Preachers. 

GREGORY PP. XIII. 

Dearly beloved Son, Health and Apostolic Bene¬ 
diction : 

Your arduous and incessant labors, both for the conver¬ 
sion of sinners and for the guidance of souls to perfec¬ 
tion, together with the valuable assistance you render 
those who are earnestly engaged in the work of the 
ministry, have always afforded us great consolation. 

Your sermons and writings, filled with sublime doc¬ 
trine and practical piety, are unceasingly drawing souls 
to God. This is particularly gratifying to us, for all who 
have profited by your teaching (and their number is very 
great) may be considered as so many souls gained to 
Christ. You have thus benefited your fellow-creatures 
more than if you had given sight to the blind and raised 
the dead to life. For the knowledge of the Eternal Light 
and the enjoyment of the heavenly life, according as they 
are given to man on earth to know and enjoy them, are 
far above the knowledge and enjoyment of the transitory 
goods of this world. 

The charity with which you have devoted yourself to 
your great and important labor has gained for you many 
crowns. 



3 Brief of Our Holy Father Gregory, XIII. 


Continue, then, to devote all your energies to the pro¬ 
secution of your undertakings. Finish what you have 
(•begun, for we understand that you have some works yet 
incomplete. Give them to the world for the health of 
the sick, for the strength of the weak, for the delight of 
-God’s servants, and for the glory of the Church both 
militant and triumphant. 

Given at Rome the 21st of July, 1582, in the eleventh 
year of our pontificate. 

ANT. BUCCIPALULE. 


INTEODUCTIOK 



|HE author of the following work holds a 


high place among the spiritual writers of 


the Church. Living in an age of saints 
and doctors. Yen. Louis of Granada occupies a 
remarkable position among those who, during 
the sixteenth century, illumined the Church, 
particularly in Spain, by their sanctity and 
learning. 

Though he has not been canonized, his memo¬ 
ry is in benediction, for he died with a reputa¬ 
tion for undoubted holiness, and time has con¬ 
firmed the judgment of his contemporaries. 

The esteem in which he was held by Pope 
Gregory XIII. and St. Charles Borromeo is 
well known to readers of their lives. The letter 
addressed to him by this Pontiff, which is pub¬ 
lished with this edition, shows how Gregory 
appreciated his genius and piety, and what a 
value he placed on his services to the Church. 
St. Charles used his works almost exclusively 
for preaching. Pope Sixtus Y. offered him a 


3 



4 


Introduction . 


cardinal’s hat, but lie refused it, as well as the 
archbishopric of Braga, the primatial see of 
Portugal. St. Francis de Sales was also a de¬ 
voted student of his works, and highly recom¬ 
mended them to others. 

Among his numerous writings the “Sinner’s 
Guide ” is one of the most practical. For more 
than three hundred years it has been the means 
of enlightening many souls and leading them 
in the path of true justice. It has been trans¬ 
lated into almost every European language, 
besides the Chinese and Persian. When nam¬ 
ing the work the author doubtless bore in mind 
the declaration of St. John, that we have all 
sinned ; for the book is suitable for all, whether 
sinners or just. The method he follows is 
comprehensive, embracing the entire scope of 
the spiritual life, at least as far as it is attained 
by ordinary Christians. A special merit of the 
“ Sinner’s Guide ” is the copious use the author 
makes of Sacred Scripture and the Fathers. 
He constantly supports his teaching by these 
invincible authorities. 

For publishing a work of this kind no apolo¬ 
gy is made. The need of good books was never 
greater than at present. Hot only youth, but 
old age untaught by experience, rush madly 
into the excesses of sensational or infidel read- 


Introduction . 


0 


ing and vile story-papers, which deprive them 
of all relish for pious or solid reading, and 
finally undermine the very foundations of their 
virtue and faith. As an aid in remedying so 
great an evil we publish the “ Sinner’s Guide,” 
confident that of its kind nothing superior to it 
has been written since its author first gave it 
to the world. It is true that for many years 
it has been before the English public. But the 
translation was by no means satisfactory. The 
present edition is a new translation, carefully 
revised, rearranged, and, where it seemed op¬ 
portune, also abridged. No essential changes, 
however, have been made, for it has been our 
desire to give the venerable author’s meaning 
in its substantial fulness. We trust, then, that 
the work will be widely circulated solely for its 
intrinsic merits and for the good it will ac¬ 
complish. 

Convent op St. Vincent Ferrer, 

New York, Nov. 9, 1883. 

Feast op All Saints op the Dominican Order. 







' 






CONTENTS 


PAGES 

Brief of Our Holy Father Gregory XIII.,.1 

Introduction,.3 

CHAPTER I. 

The First Motive which obliges us to practise Virtue and 
to serve God : His Being in itself and the excellence of His 
Perfections,.13 

CHAPTER II. 

The Second Motive for practising Virtue : ilie Benefit of our 
Creation,.,26 

CHAPTER III. 

The Third Motive for practising Virtue: the Benefit of our Pre¬ 
servation, and the Government of His Providence, . . 34 

CHAPTER IV. 

The Fourth Motive for practising Virtue : the Inestimable 
Benefit of cur Redemption.44 

CHAPTER V. 

The Fifth Motive for practising Virtue: the Benefit of our 
Justification,.56 

CHAPTER VI. 

The Sixth Motive for practising Virtue : the Incomprehensible 

Benefit of Election,.70 

CHAPTER VII. 

The Seventh Motive for practising Virtue : the Thought of 
Death, the First of the Four Last Things, 

7 


76 








s 


Contents . 


chapter vm. . „ 

PAGE 

The Eighth Motive for practising Virtue : the Thought of the 
Last Judgment, the Second of the Four Last Things, . 87 

CHAPTER IX. 

The Ninth Motive for practising Virtue : the Thought of 

Heaven, the Third of the Four Last Things, ... 96 

CHAPTER X. 

The Tenth Motive for practising Virtue : the Thought of nell, 

the Fourth of the Four Last Things,.107 

CHAPTER XI. 

The Eleventh Motive for practising Virtue : the Inestimable 


Advantages promised it even in this Life, .... 121 
CHAPTER XII. 

'Hie First Privilege of Virtue: God’s fatherly Care of the 
Just,.130 


CHAPTER XIII. 

The Second Privilege of Virtue : the Grace with which the 
noly Spirit fills the Just,. 14-1 

CHAPTER XIV. 

The Third Privilege of Virtue : the Supernatural Light and 

Knowledge granted to the Just,.148 

CHAPTER XV. 

The Fourth Privilege of Virtue : the Consolations with which 
the Holy Spirit visits the Just,.106 

CHAPTER XVI. 

The Fifth Privilege of Virtue: the Peace of a Good Con¬ 
science, .164 


CHAPTER XVII. 

The Sixth Privilege of Virtue: the Confidence of the Just, . 173 




Contents 


9 


CHAPTER XVm. 

TAGS 

The Seventh Privilege of Virtue : the True Liberty of the 
Just,.179 


CHAPTER XIX. 

The Eighth Privilege of Virtue: the Peace enjoyed by the 
Just, .. 


195 


CHAPTER XX. 

The Ninth Privilege of Virtue : the Manner in which God 
hears the Prayers of the Just,.204 

CHAPTER XXI. 

The Tenth Privilege of Virtue : the Consolation and Assist¬ 
ance with which God sustains the Just in their Afflictions, 210 

CHAPTER XXII. 

The Eleventh Privilege of Virtue : God’s Care for the Temporal 
Needs of the Just,.218 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

The Twelfth Privilege of Virtue : the Happy Death of the 


Just,.. 227 

CHAPTER XXIV. 

The Folly of those who defer their Conversion, .... 237 
CHAPTER XXV. 


Of those who defer their Conversion until the Hour of Death, 249 
CHAPTER XXVI. 

Of those who continue in Sin, trusting in the Mercy of God, 204 
CHAPTER XXVn. 

Of those who allege that the Path of Virtue is too Difficult, . 272 
CHAPTER XXVIII. 

Of those who refuse to practise Virtue because they love the 
World.291 







10 


Contents , 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

PAGE 

The First Remedy against Sin : a Firm Resolution not to 
commit it,.315 

CHAPTER XXX. 

Remedies against Pride,.323 

Section I.— General Remedies, .323 

Section II .—Particular Remedies, .... 330 

CHAPTER XXXI. 

Remedies against Covetousness,.334 

Section I .—Against Covetousness in General, . . 334 

Section II.— Against the unjust Detention of Another's 

Goods, .. 341 

CHAPTER XXXII. 

Remedies against Lust,.344 

Section I .—General Remedies, .344 

Section II .—Particular Remedies, .... 349 

CHAPTER XXXIII. 

Remedies against Envy,.333 

CHAPTER XXXIV. 

Remedies against Gluttony,.. 355 

CHAPTER XXXV. 

Remedies against Anger and Hatred,.3G2 

CHAPTER XXXVI. 

Remedies against Sloth,.3Gg 

CHAPTER XXXVII. 

Other Sins to be avoided,.. 

Section J.—On taking the Name of God in Vain, . 374 
Section II.— On Detraction and Raillenj, . . . 370 

Section III .—On Rash Judgments, .... 381 

Section I X—On the Commandments of the Church, . 382 







Contents. 


11 


CHAPTER XXXVIIL 

PACK 

Venial Sins,.384 

CHAPTER XXXIX. 

Shorter Remedies against Sins, particularly the Seven Deadly 
Sins,.385 

CHAPTER XL. 

Three Kinds of Virtues in which the Fulness of Justice con¬ 
sists ; and, first, Man’s Duty to himself, .... 394 
Section I .—Our Threefold Obligation to Virtue, . . 394 

Section 11 .— The Reformation of the Body, . . . 395 

Section III.—Temperance, .399 

Section TV.—The Government of the Senses, . . 405 

Section V.—The Government of the Tongue, . . 407 

Section VI.— The Mortification of the Passions, . . 409 

Section VII .—The Reformation of the Witt, . . 412 

Section VIII.— The Government of the Imagination, . 414 
Section IX — The Government of the Understanding, 416 
Section X .—Prudence in Temporal Affairs ,. . . 419 

Section XI.—J leans of acquiring this Virtue, . . 421 

CHAPTER XLI. 

Man’s Duty to his Neighbor,. 423 

CHAPTER XLII. 

Man’s Duty to God,.429 

Section I.— Man's Duties in General, .... 429 

Section II .—The Love of God, .430 

Section III.— The Fear of God, ,.430 

Section IV.— Confidence in God, .432 

Section V .—Zeal for the Glory of God, . . . 433 

Section VI .—Purity of Intention, .434 

Section VII.— Prayer, .436 

Section VIII.— Gratitude, .436 

Section IX.— Obedience ,.437 

Section X .—Patience in Afflictions, .... 444 








12 


Contents . 


CHAPTER XLIH. 

PAGB 

The Obligations of onr State,.450 

CHAPTER XLIY. 

The Relative Importance and Value of the Virtues, . . . 454 

CHAPTER XLV. 

Four Important Results of the Preceding Doctrine, . . . 459 

Section I.— The Necessity of Exterior as well as In¬ 
terim' Virtues , .459 

Section II.— Discernment in the Pursuit of Virtue, . 400 
Section III — Virtues that are Less must sometimes 

yield to those that are Greater, . . 461 

Section TN—T/me and False Justice, . . . .463 

CHAPTER XLVI. 

The Different Vocations in the Church,.470 

CHAPTER XLVII. 

The Vigilance and Care necessary in the Practice of Virtue, . 477 
CHAPTER XLVIII. 

The Courage necessary in the Practice of Virtue, . . . 479 

Section I. — The Necessity of Courage, .... 479 
Section 11 .— Means of acquiring Courage, . . . 482 



THE SINNER’S GUIDE. 


CHAPTER I. 

THE FIRST MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO PRAC¬ 
TISE VIRTUE AND TO SERVE GOD : HIS BEING 
IN ITSELF AND THE EXCELLENCE OF HIS PER¬ 
FECTIONS. 

T WO things, Christian reader, particularly ex¬ 
cite the will of man to good. A principle 
of justice is one, the other the profit we 
may derive therefrom. All wise men, there¬ 
fore, agree that justice and profit are the two 
most powerful inducements to move our wills 
to any undertaking. Now, though men seek 
profit more frequently than justice, yet justice 
is in itself more powerful; for, as Aristotle 
teaches, no worldly advantage can equal the 
excellence of virtue, nor is any loss so great 
that a wise man should not suffer it rather 
than yield to vice. The design of this book 
being to win men to virtue, we shall begin by 
showing our obligation to practise it because 
of the duty we owe to God. God being essen¬ 
tially goodness and beauty, there is nothing 

13 



14 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


more pleasing to Him than virtue, nothing He 
more earnestly requires. Let us first seriously 
consider upon what grounds God demands this 
tribute from us. 

But as these are innumerable, we shall only 
treat of the six principal motives which claim 
for God all that man is or all that man can do. 
The first, the greatest, and the most inexplicable 
is the very essence of God, embracing His infinite 
majesty, goodness, mercy, justice, wisdom, om¬ 
nipotence, excellence, beauty, fidelity, immuta¬ 
bility, sweetness, truth, beatitude, and all the 
inexhaustible riches and perfections contained 
in the Divine Being. All these are so great that 
if the whole world, according to St. Augustine, 
were full of books, if the sea were turned to ink, 
and every creature employed in writing, the 
books would be filled, the sea would be drained, 
and the writers would be exhausted before any 
one of His perfections could be adequately ex¬ 
pressed. The same Doctor adds: “Were any 
man created with a heart as large and capacious 
as the hearts of all men together, and if he were 
enabled by an extraordinary light to apprehend 
one of the divine attributes, his joy and delight 
would be such that, unless supported by special 
assistance from God, he could not endure them.” 

This, then, is the first and chief reason which 
obliges us to love and serve God. It is a truth 
so universally acknowledged that even the Epi¬ 
cureans, who endeavored to destroy all philo¬ 
sophy by denying a Divine Providence and the 
immortality of the soul, maintained, neverthe¬ 
less, religion, or the worship due to God. One 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


15 


of these philosophers * proves the existence of 
God by strong and undeniable arguments. He 
proclaims the greatness and sovereignty of His 
admirable perfections, which oblige us to reve¬ 
rence and adore Him, and shows that for this 
reason alone, independently of any other title, 
God has a right to our love and service. If we 
treat a king, even out of his own dominion, with 
respect and honor purely because of the dignity 
of his person, though we owe him nothing, 
with how much more justice should we render 
honor and service to this King and Lord, Who, 
as St. John tells us, bears written “ upon His 
garment and upon His thigh. King of Kings and 
Lord of Lords ” ! f This is He who hath “ poised 
with three fingers the bulk of the earth. ” J All 
beings are in His power; He disposes of them 
as He wills. It is He who propels the hea¬ 
venly bodies, commands the winds, changes the 
seasons, guides the elements, distributes the 
waters, controls the stars, creates all things; it 
is He, in fine, Who, as King and Lord of the 
universe, maintains and nourishes all creatures. 
Hor is His kingdom acquired or inherited. 
By His very nature it is for Him an inherent 
right. Just as man is above the ant, for exam¬ 
ple, so is the divine substance in an eminent de¬ 
gree above all created beings, and the whole uni¬ 
verse is no more than one of these little insects 
compared to Him. If this truth were so mani¬ 
fest to the Epicureans, otherwise unworthy of the 
name of philosophers, how much clearer ought 

* See Cicero, “De Natura Deorum.” 
t Apoc. xix. 16. X Isa. xl. 12. 


1G 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


it not be to us, wlio have been illumined by the 
light of true Christian philosophy ! For this 
latter teaches us, in fact, that among the innu¬ 
merable reasons which oblige us to serve God, 
this is the greatest; and though man were en¬ 
dowed with a thousand hearts and a thousand 
bodies, this reason alone should be sufficient to 
cause him to devote them all to His love and 
service. 

Though of all motives this is the most power¬ 
ful, yet it has least influence on the imperfect. 
The reason of this is because, on the one hand, 
they are more moved by self-interest, self-love 
having deep root in their hearts; and on the 
other, being still ignorant, and novices in the 
ways of God, they are unable to appreciate His 
grandeur and beauty. Had they a better know¬ 
ledge of His perfections. His beauty would en¬ 
rapture their souls and cause them to love Him 
above all things. Therefore w r e shall furnish 
some considerations from the mystical theology 
of St. Denis which will help them to apprehend 
the perfections of the Master they serve. To 
lead us to a knowledge of God, St. Denis teaches 
us first to turn our eyes from the qualities or 
perfections of creatures, lest we be tempted 
to measure by them the perfections of the 
Creator. Then, turning from the things of 
earth, he raises our souls to the contemplation 
of a Being above all beings, a Substance above 
all substances, a Light above all lights—or rather 
a Light before which all light is darkness —a 
Beauty above all beauties and before which all 
other beauty is but deformity. This is what we 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


17 


arc taught by the cloud into which Moses entered 
to converse with God, and which shut out from 
his senses all that was not God.* And the 
action of Elias, covering his face with his cloak 
when he saw the glory of God passing before him, 
is a lively expression of the same sentiment. \ 
Therefore, to contemplate the glory of God, man 
must close his eyes to earthly things, which bear 
no proportion to this supreme Being. 

We shall better understand this truth if we 
consider with more attention the vast difference 
between this uncreated Being and all other be¬ 
ings, between the Creator and His creatures. 
The latter without exception have had a begin¬ 
ning and may have an end, while this eternal 
Being is without beginning and without end. 
They all acknowledge a superior and depend 
upon another, while He has no superior and is 
the supreme Arbiter of all things. Creatures 
are composed of various substances, while He is 
a pure and simple Being; were He composed of 
diverse substances it would presuppose a being 
above and before Him to ordain the composition 
of these substances, which is altogether impos¬ 
sible. Creatures are subject to change ; God is 
immutable. They all admit of greater perfec¬ 
tion ; they can increase in possessions, in know¬ 
ledge. God cannot increase in perfection, con¬ 
taining within Himself all perfection ; nor in pos¬ 
sessions, for He is the source of all riches ; nor 
in knowledge, for everything is present to His 
eternal omniscience. Therefore Aristotle calls 
Him a 'pure act —that is, supreme perfection, 

* Exod. xxiv. 16, 18. t 3 Kings xix, 13. 


18 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


which admits of no increase. The needs of 
creatures subject them to movement and change ; 
God, having no necessities, is fixed and immov¬ 
able, and present in all places. We find in all 
creatures diversities which distinguish them one 
from another, but the purity of God’s essence 
admits of no distinction; so that His being 
is His essence, His essence is His power, His 
power is His will, His will is His understand¬ 
ing, His understanding is His being, His being 
is His wisdom, His wisdom is His justice, His 
justice is His mercy. And though the last two 
attributes are differently manifested, the duty 
of mercy being to pardon, that of justice to 
punish, yet they are one and the same power. 

The Divine Being thus comprises in its unity 
apparently opposite qualities and perfections 
which we can never sufficiently admire ; for, as 
St. Augustine observes,* “He is a profoundly 
hidden God, yet everywhere present; He is es¬ 
sentially strength and beauty ; He is immut¬ 
able and incomprehensible ; He is beyond all 
space, yet fills all the universe ; invisible, yet 
manifest to all creatures ; producing all motion, 
yet is Himself immovable ; always in action, yet 
ever at rest, He fills all things and is circum¬ 
scribed by nothing ; He provides for all things 
without the least solicitude ; He is great with¬ 
out quantity, therefore He is immense; He is 
good without qualification, and therefore He 
is the Supreme Good.” Nay, “He alone is 
good.”f Finally, all created things have a 
limited being, their power is equally limited ; 

* “Meditations,” chaps, xix. and xx. t Matt. xix. 17. 


The Sinner 9 s Guide . 


19 


the works they accomplish, the space they fill, 
their very names, are no less limited. Human 
words can define them ; they can be assigned 
a certain character and reduced to a certain 
species. But the Divine Substance cannot be 
defined nor comprehended under any species, 
nor can it be confined to any place, nor can any 
name express it. Though nameless, therefore, 
as St. Denis says, it yet has all possible names, 
since it possesses in itself all the perfections 
expressed by these names. 

As limited beings, therefore, creatures can 
be comprehended ; but the divine essence, being 
infinite, is beyond the reach of any created un¬ 
derstanding. For that which is limitless, says 
Aristotle, can only be grasped by an infinite 
understanding. As a man on the shore beholds 
the sea, yet cannot measure its depth or vast¬ 
ness, so the blessed spirits and all the elect con¬ 
template God, yet cannot fathom the abyss of 
His greatness nor measure the duration of His 
eternity. For this reason also God is repre¬ 
sented “ seated upon the cherubim,”* who, 
though filled with treasures of divine wisdom, 
continue beneath His majesty and power, which 
it is not given them to grasp or understand. 

This is what David teaches when he tells us 
that God “made darkness His covert” ;f or, 
as the Apostle more clearly expresses it. He 
“ inhabiteth light inaccessible.” J The prophet 
calls this light darkness because it dazzles and 
blinds our human vision. Nothing is more re- 

* Dan. iii. 55 and Pe. xvil. 11. 
t Ps. xvii. 12. X 1 Tim. vi. 16. 


20 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


splendent and more visible than the sun, as a 
philosopher admirably remarks, yet because of 
liis very splendor and the weakness of our vi¬ 
sion there is nothing u}3on which we can gaze 
less. So also there is no being more intelligible 
in itself than God, and yet none we understand 
less in this present life. 

Know, therefore, you who aspire to a know¬ 
ledge of God, that He is a Being superior to any¬ 
thing you can conceive. The more sensible you 
are of your inability to comprehend Him, the 
more you will have advanced in a knowledge of 
His Being. Thus St. Gregory, commenting on 
these words of Job : * “ Who doth great things 
unsearchable, and wonderful things without 
number,” says : “ We never more eloquently 
praise the works of the Almighty than when 
our tongue is mute in rapt wonder; silence is 
the only adequate praise -when words are power¬ 
less to express the perfections we would extol.” 
St. Denis also tells us to honor with mute venera¬ 
tion, and a silence full of love and fear, the 
wonders and glory of God, before Whom the 
most sublime intelligences are prostrate. The 
holy Doctor seems to allude here to the words 
of the prophet as translated by St. Jerome, 
“Praise is mute before thee, God of Sion,” 
giving us to understand, doubtless, that the 
most adequate praise is a modest and respectful 
silence springing from the conviction of our in¬ 
ability to comprehend God. We thus confess 
the incomprehensible grandeur and sovereign 
majesty of Him Whose being is above all being, 

* Job. v. 9. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


21 


Whose power is above all power, Whose glory 
is above all glory, Whose substance is immea¬ 
surably raised above all other substances, visi¬ 
ble or invisible. Upon this point St. Augus¬ 
tine has said with much beauty and force: 
“When I seek my God I seek not corporal 
grace, nor transient beauty, nor splendor, nor 
melodious sound, nor sweet fragrance of flowers, 
nor odorous essence, nor honeyed manna, nor 
grace of form, nor anything pleasing to the 
flesh. None of these things do I seek when I 
seek my God. But I seek a light exceeding all 
light, which the eyes cannot see ; a voice sweet¬ 
er than all sound, which the ear cannot hear; a 
sweetness above all sweetness, which the tongue 
cannot taste; a fragrance above all fragrance, 
which the senses cannot perceive ; a mysterious 
and divine embrace, which the body cannot feel. 
For this light shines without radiance, this voice 
is heard without striking the air, this fragrance 
is perceived though the wind does not bear it, 
this taste inebriates with no palate to relish it, 
and this embrace is felt in the centre of the 
soul.”* 

If you would have farther proof of the in¬ 
finite power and greatness of God, contemplate 
the order and beauty of the world. Let us 
first bear in mind, as St. Denis tells us, that 
effects are proportioned to their cause, and then 
consider the admirable order, marvellous beauty, 
and incomprehensible grandeur of the universe. 
There are stars in heaven several hundred times 
larger than the earth and sea together. Con- 

* “ Conf.,” 1. x. c. 6. “ Solil.,” c. xxxi. 


OQ 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


sider also the infinite variety of creatures in 
all parts of the world, on the earth, in the 
air, and in the water, each with an organization 
so perfect that never has there been discovered 
in them anything superfluous or not suited to 
the end for which they are destined; and this 
truth is in no way weakened by the existence of 
monsters which are but distortions of nature, 
due to the imperfection of created causes. And 
this vast and majestic universe God created in 
a single instant, according to the opinion of St. 
Augustine and St. Clement of Alexandria; from 
nothing He drew being, without matter or ele¬ 
ment, instrument or model, unlimited by time 
or space. He created the whole world and all 
that is contained therein by a single act of His 
will. And He could as easily have created mil¬ 
lions of worlds greater, more beautiful, and 
more populous than ours, and as easily reduce 
them again to nothing. 

Since, therefore, according to St. Denis, ef¬ 
fects bear a proportion to their cause, what 
must be the power of a cause which has pro¬ 
duced such effects ? Yet all these great and 
perfect works are vastly inferior to their Divine 
Author. Who could not but be filled with admi¬ 
ration and astonishment in contemplating the 
greatness of such a Being ? Though w r e can¬ 
not see it with our corporal eyes, yet the re¬ 
flections we have just indicated must enable us 
in a measure to conceive the grandeur and in¬ 
comprehensibility of His power. 

St. Thomas, in his “ Sum of Theology,” en¬ 
deavors by the following argument to give us 


The Sinner's Guide . 


23 


some idea of the immensity of God : We see, 
lie tells us, that in material things that which ex¬ 
cels in perfection also excels in quantity. Thus 
the water is greater than the earth, the air is 
greater than the water, and fire is greater than 
the air. The first heaven is more extensive 
than the element of fire, the second heaven is 
more extensive than the first, the third likewise 
, exceeds the second, and so of the others till we 
come to the tenth sphere, or the empyreal hea¬ 
ven, to the grandeur and beauty of which no¬ 
thing in the universe can be compared. Con¬ 
sequently the empyreal heavens, the finest and 
noblest of all the bodies which compose the 
universe, being incomparably greater than all 
the rest, we may infer, adds the Angelic Doc¬ 
tor, liow far God, the first, the greatest, the 
most perfect of all beings, spiritual or corporal, 
and the Creator of all, exceeds them, not in 
material quantity—for He is a pure spirit—but 
in every possible perfection. 

Thus we begin to understand, in some man¬ 
ner, what are the perfections of God, since they 
cannot but be in proportion to His being. For, 
as we read in Ecclesiasticus : * “ According to 
His greatness, so also is His mercy with Him.” 
Nor are any of His other attributes less. Hence 
He is infinitely wise, infinitely merciful, infi¬ 
nitely just, infinitely good, and, therefore, infi¬ 
nitely worthy to be obeyed, feared, and reve¬ 
renced by all creatures. Were the human heart 
capable of infinite homage, infinite love, it 
should offer them to this supreme Master. For 

* Ecclus. ii. 23. 


24 


The Sinner's Guide . 


if reverence and homage must be proportioned 
to the greatness and dignity of him to whom 
they are offered, then the homage we offer God 
should, if we were capable of it, be infinite also. 

How great, then, is our obligation to love 
God, had He no other title to our love aud ser¬ 
vice ! What can he love who does not love 
such Goodness ? What can he fear who does 
not fear this infinite Majesty ? Whom will he 
serve who refuses to serve such a Master ? And 
why was our will given to us, if not to embrace 
and love good ? If, therefore, this great God 
be the Sovereign Good, why does not our will 
embrace it before all other goods ? If it be a 
great evil not to love and reverence Him above 
all things, who can express the crime of those 
who love everything better than they love 
Him ? It is almost incredible that the malice 
and blindness of man can go so far ; but yet, 
alas ! how many there are who for a base plea¬ 
sure, for an imaginary point of honor, for a vile 
and sordid interest, continually offend this So¬ 
vereign Goodness ! There are others who go 
farther and sin without any of these motives, 
through pure malice or habit. Oh ! incompre¬ 
hensible blindness ! Oh ! more than brute stu¬ 
pidity ! Oh ! rashness, oh ! folly worthy of 
demons! What is the chastisement propor¬ 
tioned to the crime of those who thus despise 
their Maker ? Surely none other than that 
which these senseless creatures will receive— 
the eternal fire of hell. 

Here, then, is the first motive which obliges 
us to love and serve God. This is an obliga- 


The Sinner's Guide. 


25 


tion so great that compared to it all obliga¬ 
tions to creatures, whatever their excellence 
or perfections, are only obligations in name. 
For as the perfections of creatures are mere im¬ 
perfections compared with the perfections of 
God, so the obligations resulting therefrom can¬ 
not with justice be considered obligations when 
contrasted witli those which we owe to God. 
Nor can our offences against the creature be re¬ 
garded as offences, except in name, when we 
remember the guilt we have incurred by our 
many sins against God. For this reason David 
cried out : “ Against Thee only, 0 God ! have 
I sinned,” * though he had sinned against 
Urias, whom he murdered ; against the wife of 
Urias, whom he dishonored ; and against his 
subjects, whom he scandalized. The penitent 
king knew that his offences against creatures, 
notwithstanding their different degrees of defor¬ 
mity, could not equal the enormity of his re¬ 
volt against God. For God being infinite, our ob¬ 
ligations towards Him and our offences against 
Him are in a measure infinite. 


* Ps. 1.5. 


26 


The Sinner's Guide . 


CHAPTER II. 

THE SECOND MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO 
PRACTISE VIRTUE AND TO SERVE GOD : THE 
BENEFIT OF OUR CREATION. 

W E are obliged to practise virtue and keep 
God’s commandments not only because 
of wliat God is in Himself, but because 
of wliat He is to us, because of His in¬ 
numerable benefits to us. 

The first of these benefits is our creation , 
which obliges man to give himself wholly to the 
service of his Creator, for in justice he stands 
indebted to Him for all he has received ; and 
since he has received his body with all its 
senses, and his soul with all its faculties, he is 
obliged to employ them in the service of his 
Creator, or incur the guilt of theft and ingra¬ 
titude towards his gracious Benefactor. For if 
a man build a house, who should have the use 
and profit of it, if not he who built it ? To 
whom does the fruit of a vine belong, if not to 
him who has planted it ? Whom should chil¬ 
dren serve, if not the father who gave them be¬ 
ing ? Hence the law gives a father almost un¬ 
limited power over his children, so natural does 
it seem that he should be master of an existence 
of which he is the author. What, then, should 
be the authority of God, the sovereign Author 
of all being in heaven and on earth ? And if, 
as Seneca remarks, those who receive benefits 
are obliged to imitate good soil and return with 


The Sinners Guide . 


interest what they have received, what return 
can we make to God, when we have nothing to 
offer Him but what we have received from His 
infinite goodness ? What, therefore, must we 
think of those who not only make no return to 
their Creator, but use His benefits to offend 
Him ? Aristotle tells us that man can never 
make adequate return to his parents or to the 
gods for the favors received from them. How, 
then, can we make a suitable return to the 
great God, the Father of us all, for the innu¬ 
merable blessings bestowed upon us ? If dis¬ 
obedience to parents be so grievous a crime, 
how heinous must it not be to rebel against this 
gracious God ! He Himself complains of this 
ingratitude by the mouth of His prophet: “ The 
son honoreth the father, and the servant his 
master: if, then, I be a father, where is my 
honor ? and if I be a master, where is my 
fear ? ” * Another servant of God, filled with 
indignation at like ingratitude, exclaims: “Is 
this the return thou makest to the Lord, 0 fool- 
. ish and senseless people ? Is He not thy father, 
that hath possessed thee, and made thee, and 
created thee ? ” f This reproach is addressed to 
those who never raise their eyes to heaven to 
consider what God is, who never look upon 
themselves in order to know themselves. Know¬ 
ing nothing, therefore, of their origin or the 
end for which they are created, they live as 
though they themselves were the authors of 
their being. This was the crime of the unfor¬ 
tunate king of Egypt to whom God said : “Be- 

* Mai. i. 6. t Deut. xxxii. 6. 


23 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


liold, I come against thee, Pharao, king of 
Egypt, thou great dragon that liest in the midst 
of thy rivers and sayest: The river is mine, and 
I made myself. ” * This is, at least practically, 
the language of those who act as though they 
were the principle of their own being, and who 
refuse to recognize any obligation to serve their 
Maker. How different were the sentiments of 
St. Augustine, who by studying his origin was 
brought to the knowledge of Him from whom 
he had received his being! “I returned to 
myself,” he says, “ and entered into myself, 
saying: What art thou ? And I answered : A 
rational and mortal man. And I began to exa¬ 
mine what this was, and I said : 0 my Lord 
and my God ! who has created so noble a crea¬ 
ture as this—who, 0 Lord ! but Thou ? Thou, 
0 my God ! hast made me ; I have not made 
myself. What art Thou, Thou by whom I live 
and from whom all things receive being ? Can 
any one create himself or receive his being but 
from Thee ? Art Thou not the source of all 
being, the fountain whence all life flows ? For 
whatsoever has life lives by Thee, because no¬ 
thing can live without Thee. It is Thou, 0 
Lord ! that hast made me, and without Thee 
nothing is made. Thou art my Creator, and I 
am Thy creature. I thank Thee, 0 my Creator ! 
because Thy hands have made and fashioned 
me. I thank Thee, 0 my Light! for having 
enlightened me and brought me to the knowl¬ 
edge of what Thou art and what I myself am.” 

This, then, the first of God’s benefits, is the 

* Ezecli. xxix. 3. 


The Shiner 1 s Guide. 


29 


foundation of all the others, for all other bene¬ 
fits presuppose existence, which is given us at 
our creation. Let us now consider the ac¬ 
knowledgment God demands of us, for He is 
no less rigid in requiring our gratitude than 
He is magnificent in bestowing His benefits; 
and this is an additional proof of His love, for 
our gratitude results in no advantage to Him, 
but enables us to profit by the favors we have 
received, and thus merit other graces from His 
infinite goodness. Thus we read in the Old 
Testament that whenever He bestowed a favor 
upon His people He immediately commanded 
them to keep it in remembrance. When He 
brought the Israelites out of Egypt He com¬ 
manded them to commemorate by a solemn 
festival every year their happy deliverance from 
bondage. When He slew the first-born of the 
Egyptians and spared the Israelites He com¬ 
manded that the latter, in return, should con¬ 
secrate their first-born to Him. When He 
sent them manna from heaven to sustain them 
in the wilderness, He ordered that a portion of 
it should be put in a vessel and kept in the 
tabernacle as a memorial to generations of this 
extraordinary favor. After giving them vic¬ 
tory over Am alec He told Moses to write it for 
a memorial in a book, and deliver it to Josue. 
Since, therefore, God so rigidly requires a con¬ 
tinual remembrance of the temporal favors He 
grants us, what return of gratitude will He not 
demand for this immortal benefit ? Such we 
truly call the benefit of creation, because with 
it we receive from God the gift of an immortal 


30 


The Sinner's Guide . 


soul. The patriarchs of old were deeply sensi¬ 
ble of this obligation of gratitude, and there¬ 
fore we read that whenever God bestowed upon 
them any special favor or blessing they evinced 
their gratitude by erecting altars to His name 
and by rearing other monuments to commemo¬ 
rate His mercies to them. Even the names 
they gave their children expressed the favors 
they had received, so desirous were they that 
their debt of gratitude to God should never be 
forgotten. St. Augustine, speaking on this 
subject in one of his soliloquies, says: “Man 
should think of God as often as he breathes ; 
for as his being is continuous and immortal, he 
should continually return thanks to the Author 
of his being.” 

This obligation is so deeply graven in nature 
that even the philosophers and sages of this 
world earnestly inculcate gratitude to God. 
Hear the counsel of Epictetus: “Be not un¬ 
grateful, 0 man ! to this sovereign Power, but 
return thanks for the faculties with which He 
has endowed thee, for thy life itself and for all 
the things which sustain it, for fruits, wine, 
oil, and whatever advantages of fortune thou 
hast received from Him; but praise Him par¬ 
ticularly for thy reason, which teaches thee the 
proper use and the true worth of all these 
things.” If a pagan philosopher teach such 
gratitude for benehts common to all men, what 
should be the gratitude of a Christian, who has 
received the light of faith in addition to that of 
reason, as well as other gifts vastly superior to 
those we have just mentioned ? 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


31 


But perhaps you will urge that these benefits 
common to all seem the work of nature rather 
than graces emanating from God; and why, you 
ask, should I be grateful for the general order 
which reigns in the world, and because things 
follow their natural course ? This objection is 
unworthy of a Christian, of a pagan, of any but 
an unreasonable animal. Hear bow the same 
philosopher answers it: “ You will say, perhaps, 
that you receive all these benefits from nature. 
Senseless man ! in saying this you but change 
the name of God, your Benefactor. For what is 
nature but God Himself, the first and original 
nature ? Therefore, it is no excuse, ungrateful 
man, to urge that you are indebted, not to God, 
but to nature ; for without God there is no na¬ 
ture. Were you to receive a benefit from Lucius 
Seneca you would not dare to say that you were 
indebted to Lucius and not to Seneca. Such 
a subterfuge would change your benefactors 
name, but would by no means cancel your ob¬ 
ligation to him.” 

It is not only a motive of justice which obliges 
us to serve God, but our necessities force us 
to have recourse to Him if we would attain the 
perfection and happiness for which we were 
created. 

In order to understand this more clearly let 
us call to mind the general principle that crea¬ 
tures are not born with all their perfections. 
There remain many to be cultivated and de¬ 
veloped, and only He who has begun the work 
can perfect it. Things instinctively go back to 
their first cause for their development and per- 


32 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


fection. Plants unceasingly seek the sun, and 
sink their roots deep into the earth where they 
were formed. Fishes will not leave the element 
where they were engendered. Chickens seek 
vivifying warmth and shelter beneath their 
mother’s wings. In like manner a lamb, until 
it has attained its strength, clings to the side of 
its ewe, distinguishing her among a thousand 
of the same color, arguing, doubtless, with blind 
instinct, that it must seek what it lacks at the 
source whence it has received all that it is. 
This is apparent in all the works of nature, and 
if those of art could reason they would doubtless 
proceed in like manner. Were a painter to 
make a beautiful picture and omit the eyes, 
whither would the picture, were it sensible of its 
want, go to seek its completion ? Not to the 
palaces of kings or princes, for all their power 
could not give it what it sought; no, it would 
seek its first cause, the master who designed it. 
And is not this thy position also, 0 rational 
creature ? Thou art an unfinished work. Many 
things are lacking to the perfection of thy be¬ 
ing. Tlion hast naught of the beauty and 
lustre which are yet to be thine. Hence thy 
restless, unsatisfied yearning: hence those un¬ 
ceasing aspirations for a higher, a better state 
which arise from thy very necessities. Yes, 
God let thee hunger, in order that, driven bv 
necessity, thou mightst have recourse to Him. 
For this reason He did not give thee perfection 
at thy creation, but He withheld it only through 
love for thee. It was not to make thee poor, but 
to make thee humble ; it was not to leave thee 


The Sumer’s Guide . 


33 


needy, but to compel thee to have recourse to 
Him. 

If, then, thou art blind, poor, and iii need, 
why dost thou not seek the Father who created 
thee, the Artist who designed thee, that He may 
satisfy thy wants and supply all that is lacking 
to thy perfection ? Penetrated with this truth, 
David cried out : “ Thy hands have made me 
and formed me : give me understanding, and I 
will learn Thy commandments. ” * 

Thy hands have made me, the prophet would 
say, but the work is incomplete. The eyes of 
my soul are still imperfect; they see not what 
they ought to know. To whom shall I go in 
my necessities, if not to Him from whom I 
have received all that I possess ? Enlighten, 
then, my eyes, that they may know Thee, 0 
Lord ! and that the work Thou hast begun in 
me may be perfected. Therefore, God only can 
perfect the understanding, the will, and all the 
faculties of the soul. It is He alone who satis¬ 
fies His creature and never fails him. With 
Him the creature is content in poverty, rich in 
destitution, happy in solitude, and though de¬ 
spoiled of all possessions, yet master of all 
things. Hence the wise man so justly says: 
“ One is as it were rich when he hath nothing, 
and another is as it were poor when he hath 
great riches.” f Rich indeed is the poor man 
who, like St. Francis of Assisi, has God for his 
inheritance, though owning naught else; but 
poor would he be who knew not God, though 
he possessed the entire universe. What do their 

* Pa. cxviii. 73. t Prov. xiii. 7. 


34 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


wealth and power avail the rich and great of 
this world when they are a prey to anxieties 
which they cannot calm, a victim to appetites 
which they cannot satisfy ? For what comfort 
can costly raiment, luxurious viands, and over¬ 
flowing coffers bring to a troubled mind ? The 
rich man tosses restlessly on his soft couch, and 
his treasure is powerless to stifle the remorse 
which banishes sleep. Independently, there¬ 
fore, of God’s benefits to us, we are, from the 
necessities of our nature, obliged to serve Him, 
if we would attain our happiness and perfec¬ 
tion. 


CHAPTER III. 

THE THIRD MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO 
SERVE GOD: THE BENEFIT OF OUR PRESERVA¬ 
TION, AND THE GOVERNMENT OF HIS PROVI¬ 
DENCE. 


A NOTHER motive which obliges man to 
serve God is the benefit of preservation. 
God gave you being, and still preserves 
it to you, for you are as powerless to sub¬ 
sist without Him as you were incapable of com¬ 
ing into existence without Him. The benefit 
of preservation is not less than that of crea¬ 
tion. It is even greater, for your creation was 
but a single act, while your preservation is a 
continuous manifestation of God’s abiding 
love. If, .then, your creation demand from you 



The Sinner’s Guide. 


35 


so great a return of gratitude, who can reckon 
the debt you owe for the gift of preservation ? 
There is not a movement of your eye, there is 
not a step you take, which is not by His power. 
For if you do not believe that it is through 
Him you live and act, you are no longer a 
Christian; and if, believing it, you continue 
deliberately to offend your Benefactor, how can 
I say what you are? If a man on the top of a 
high tower held another suspended by a small 
cord over an abyss, do you think the latter 
would dare to address injurious words to him 
who held him thus suspended? How is it, 
then, that you, whose existence hangs by a 
thread which God can sever at any moment, 
dare excite the anger of this infinite Majesty 
by outraging Him with the very benefits He 
mercifully preserves to you? 

The goodness of this sovereign Being is so 
great, says St. Denis, that while creatures are 
offending Him and madly rebelling against His 
will He continues to give them the power and 
strength which they use to resist Him. How, 
then, can you be so rash, so ungrateful as to 
turn against God the blessings with which He 
has loaded you ? Oh ! incredible blindness ! 
Oh ! senseless rebellion !—that the members 
w r ould conspire against their Head, for which 
they ought to be ready to make any sacrifice. 
But a time will come when God’s outraged 
patience shall be avenged. You have con¬ 
spired against God. It is just that He should 
arm the universe against you, that all creatures 
should rise up against you to avenge their 




36 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Creator. They who closed their eyes to the 
■sweet light of His mercy while it still shone 
upon them and allured them by so many bene¬ 
fits will justly behold it when, too late for 
amendment, they shall be groaning under the 
.severity of His justice. 

Consider in addition to this benefit the rich and 
delightful banquet of nature prepared for you by 
your Creator. Everything in this world is for 
man’s use, directly or indirectly. Insects serve 
as food for birds, which in their turn serve as 
food for man. In like manner the grass of the 
fields supports the animals destined also for 
man’s service. Cast your eye upon this vast 
world, and behold the abundance of your pos¬ 
sessions, the magnificence of your inheritance. 
All that move upon the earth, or swim in the 
water, or fly in the air, or live under the sun are 
made for you. Every creature is a benefit of 
God, the work of His Providence, a ray of His 
beauty, a token of His mercy, a spark of His 
love, a voice which proclaims His magnificence. 
These are the eloquent messengers of God con¬ 
tinually reminding you of your obligations to 
Him. “ Everything,” says St. Augustine, “ in 
heaven and on earth calls upon mo to love Thee, 
0 Lord ! and the universe unceasingly exhorts 
all men to love Thee, that none may exempt 
themselves from this sweet law.” 

Oh ! that you had ears to hear the voice of 
creatures appealing to you to love God. Their 
expressive silence tells you that they were created 
to serve you, while yours is the sweet duty of 
praising your common Lord not only in your 


The Sinner's Guide. 


37 


own name but in theirs also. I flood your days 
with light, the heavens declare, and your nights 
I illumine with the soft radiance of my stars. 
By my different influences all nature bears fruit 
in season for your necessities. I sustain your 
breath, the air tells you ; with gentle breezes 1 
refresh you and temper your bodily heat. I 
maintain an almost infinite variety of birds to 
delight you with their beauty, to ravish you with 
their songs, and to feed you with their flesh. I 
maintain for your nourishment innumerable 
fishes, the water exclaims. I water your lands, 
that they may give you their fruit in due season. 
I afford you an easy passage to distant countries, 
that you may add their riches to those of your 
own. 

But what says the earth, this common mother 
of all things, this vast storehouse of the treasures 
of nature ? Surely she may tell you : Like a 
good mother I bear you in my arms ; I prepare 
food for all your necessities ; I procure the con¬ 
currence of the heavens and all the elements for 
your welfare. Never do I abandon you, for 
after supporting you during life, I receive you 
in death, and in my own bosom give you a final 
resting-place. Thus can the whole universe with 
one voice cry out: Behold how my Master and 
Creator has loved you. He has created me for 
your happiness, that I might serve you, and that 
you in your turn might love and serve Him ; 
for I have been made for you, and you have been 
made for God. This is the voice of all creatures. 
Will you be deaf to it ? Will you be insensible 
t q so many benefits ? You have been loaded 


38 


The Sinner's Guide, 


with favors. Do not forget the debt you thence 
contract. Beware of the crime of ingratitude. 
Every creature, says Bichard of St. Victor, ad¬ 
dresses these three words to man : Receive , give , 
beware. Beceive the benefit; give thanks for 
it; and beware of the punishment of ingratitude. 

Epictetus, a pagan philosopher, fully appreci¬ 
ated this truth. He teaches us to behold the 
Creator in all His creatures, and to refer to Him 
all the blessings we receive from them. “ When 
you are warned ,'” he says, “of a change in the 
atmosphere by the redoubled cries of the crow, 
it is not the crow, but God Who warns you. 
And if the voice of men gives you wise counsel 
and useful knowledge, it is also God Who speaks. 
For He has given them this wisdom and know¬ 
ledge, and, therefore, you must recognize His 
power in the instruments He wills to employ. 
But when he wishes to acquaint you with mat¬ 
ters of greater moment He chooses more noble 
and worthy messengers. ” The same philosopher 
adds: “When you will have finished reading 
my counsels, say to yourself : It is not Epictetus 
the philosopher who tells me all these things ; 
it is God. For whence in fact has he received 
the power to give these counsels but from God ? 
Is it not God Himself, therefore, Who speaks to 
me through him?” Such are the sentiments 
of Epictetus. Should not a Christian blush to 
be less enlightened than a pagan philosopher ? 
Surely it is shameful that they who are illumined 
by faith should not see what was so clear to them 
who had no other guide than the light of simple 
reason. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


39 


Since, then, every creature is a benefit from 
God, how can we live surrounded by these proofs 
of His love, and yet never think of Him ? If 
wearied and hungry you seated yourself at the 
foot of a tower, and a beneficent creature from 
above sent you food and refreshment, could you 
forbear raising your eyes to your kind benefac¬ 
tor? Yet God continually sends down upon 
you blessings of every kind. Find me, I pray 
you, but one thing which does not come from 
God, which does not happen by His special 
Providence. Why is it, then, that you never 
raise your eyes to this indefatigable and generous 
Benefactor ? Ah ! we have divested ourselves 
of our own nature, so to speak, and have fallen 
into worse than brute insensibility. I blush, in 
truth, to say what we resemble in this particular, 
but it is good for man to hear it. We are like 
a herd of swine feeding under an oak. While 
their keeper is showering down acorns, they 
greedily devour them, grunting and quarrelling 
with one another, yet never raising their eyes 
to the master who is feeding them. Oh ! brute¬ 
like ingratitude of the children of Adam ! We 
have received the light of reason, and an upright 
form. Our head is directed to heaven, not to 
earth, which ought to teach us to raise the eyes 
of our soul to the abode of our Benefactor. 

Would that irrational creatures did not excel 
us in this duty ! But the law of gratitude, so 
dear to God, is so deeply impressed on all crea¬ 
tures that we find this noble sentiment even in 
the most savage beasts. What nature is more 
savage than that of a lion ? Yet Appian, a 


40 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Greek author, tells us that a certain man took 
refuge in a cave, where he extracted a thorn 
from the foot of a lion. Grateful for the kind¬ 
ness, the noble animal ever after shared his 
prey with his benefactor while he remained in 
the cave. Some years later this man, haying 
been charged with a crime, was condemned to 
be exposed to wild beasts in the amphitheatre. 
When the time of execution arrived, a lion 
which had been lately captured was let loose on 
the prisoner. Instead of tearing his victim to 
pieces he gazed at him intently, and, recogniz¬ 
ing his former benefactor, he gave evident 
signs of joy, leaping and fawning upon him as 
a dog would upon his master. Moved by this 
spectacle, the judges, on hearing his story, re¬ 
leased both man and lion. Forgetful of his 
former wildness, the lion, until his death, con¬ 
tinued to follow his master through the streets 
of Rome without offering the slightest injury to 
any one. 

A like instance of gratitude is related of an¬ 
other lion that was strangling in the coils of 
a serpent when a gentleman riding by came to 
his rescue and killed the serpent. The grateful 
animal, to show his devotion, took up his abode 
with his deliverer and followed him wherever 
he went, like a faithful dog. One day the gen¬ 
tleman set sail, leaving the lion behind him on 
the shore. Impatient to be with his master, 
the faithful animal plunged into the sea, and, 
being unable to reach the vessel, was drowned. 

What instances could we not relate of the 
fidelity and gratitude of the horse ? Pliny, in 


The Sinner's Guide . 


41 


bis “Natural History,” * tells us that horses 
have been seen to shed tears at the death of 
their masters, and even to starve themselves to 
death for the same reason. Nor are the grati¬ 
tude and fidelity of dogs less surprising. Of 
these the same author relates most marvellous 
things. He gives, among other examples, an 
instance which occurred in his own time at 
Eome. A man condemned to death was allowed 
in prison the companionship of his dog. The 
faithful animal never left him, and even after 
death remained by the lifeless body to testify 
his grief. If food were given to him he imme¬ 
diately brought it to his master and laid it on 
his lifeless lips. Finally, when the remains 
were thrown into the Tiber, he plunged into the 
river, and, having placed himself beneath the 
body, struggled till the last to keep it from 
sinking. Could there be gratitude greater than 
this ? Now, if beasts, with no other guide 
than natural instinct, thus show their love and 
gratitude for their masters, how can man, pos¬ 
sessing the superior guidance of reason, live in 
such forgetfulness of his Benefactor ? Will he 
suffer the brute creation to give him lessons in 
fidelity, gratitude, and kindness ? Moreover, 
will he forget that the benefits he receives from 
God are incomparably superior to those which 
animals receive from men ; that his Benefactor 
is so infinite in His excellence, so disinterested 
in His love, overwhelming His creatures with 
blessings which can in no way benefit Himself ? 
This must ever be a subject of wonder and as- 
* viii. 40 . 


42 


The Sumer's Guide. 


tonishment, and evidently proves that there are 
evil spirits who darken our understanding, weak¬ 
en our memory, and harden our heart, in or¬ 
der to make us forget so bountiful a Benefactor. 

If it be so great a crime to forget this Lord, 
what must it be to insult Him, and to convert 
His benefits into the instruments of our offen¬ 
ces against Him ? “The first degree of ingra¬ 
titude,” says Seneca, “ is to neglect to repay the 
benefits we have received ; the second is to for¬ 
get them ; the third is to requite the benefac¬ 
tor with evil.” But what shall we say of that 
excess of ingratitude which goes so far as to 
outrage the benefactor with his own benefits ? 
I doubt whether one man ever treated another 
as we dare to treat God. What man, having 
received a large sum of money from his sove¬ 
reign, would be so ungrateful as immediately to 
employ it in raising an army against him ? Yet 
you, unhappy creature, never cease to make war 
upon God with the very benefits you have re¬ 
ceived from Him. How infamous would be the 
conduct of a married woman who, having re¬ 
ceived a rich present from her husband, would 
bestow it upon the object of her unlawful love 
in order to secure his affections ! The world 
would regard it as base, unparalleled treason ; 
yet the offence is only between equals. But 
what proportions the crime assumes when the 
affront is from a creature to God ! Yet is not 
this the crime of men who consume their health, 
and waste, in the pursuit of vice, the means 
that God has given them ? They pervert their 
strength to the gratification of their pride ; 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


43 


their beauty but feeds their vanity; their 
wealth enables them to conceal their vices, to 
vie with the great, to pamper their flesh, to 
traffic in innocence, bargaining, even as the 
Jews did with Judas, for the blood of Christ ! 
What shall I say of their abuse of other bene¬ 
fits ? The sea serves but to satisfy their glut¬ 
tony and their ambition; the beauty of crea¬ 
tures excites their gross sensuality ; earthly pos¬ 
sessions but feed their avarice; and talents, 
whether natural or acquired, only tend to in¬ 
crease their vanity and pride. Prosperity inflates 
them with folly, and adversity reduces them to 
despair. They choose the darkness of the night 
to hide their thefts, and the light of day to lay 
their snares, as we read in Job. In a word, 
they pervert all that God has created for His 
glory to the gratification of their inordinate 
passions. 

What shall I say of their effeminate adorn¬ 
ments, their costly stuffs, their extravagant 
perfumes, their sumptuous tables groaning un¬ 
der the weight of rare and luxurious viands ? 
Nay, sensuality and luxury are so general that, 
to our shame, books are published to teach us 
how to sin in these respects. Men have per¬ 
verted creatures from their lawful use, and in¬ 
stead of making God’s benefits a help to virtue, 
they have turned them into instruments of vice. 
So great is the selfishness of the world that 
there is nothing which men do not sacrifice to 
the gratification of the flesh, wholly forgetful 
of the poor, whom God has so specially recom¬ 
mended to their care. Such persons never find 


44 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


that they are poor until they are asked for 
alms; at any other time there is no extravagant 
luxury their income cannot afford. 

Beware lest this terrible accusation be made 
against you at the hour of death ! The greater 
the benefits you have perverted the more severe 
the account you will have to render. It is 
a great sign of reprobation for a man to con¬ 
tinue to abuse the favors God has bestowed up¬ 
on him. To have received much, and to have 
made but small return, is, in a manner, already 
to have judged himself. If the Ninivites shall 
rise in judgment against the Jews for not hav¬ 
ing done penance at our Saviour’s teaching, let 
us see that the same Lord shall have no reason 
to condemn us upon the example of beasts that 
love their benefactors, while we manifest such 
gross ingratitude to the Supreme Benefactor of 
all. 


CHAPTER IV. 

THE FOURTH MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO 
PRACTISE VIRTUE : THE INESTIMABLE BENE¬ 
FIT OF OUR REDEMPTION. 

L ET us now consider the supreme benefit of 
divine love, the redemption of man. But 
I feel myself so unworthy, so unfitted to 
speak oi ! such a mystery that I know not 
where to begin or where to leave off, or whether 
it were notbetter for me to be silent altogether. 
Bid not man, in his lethargy, need an incentive 



The Sinner's Guide. 


45 


to virtue, better would it be to prostrate our¬ 
selves in mute adoration before the incompre¬ 
hensible grandeur of this mystery than vainly 
essay to explain it in imperfect human language. 
It is said that a famous painter of antiquity, 
wishing to represent the death of a king’s 
daughter, painted her friends and relatives 
about her with mournful countenances. In 
her mother’s face grief was still more strongly 
depicted. But before the face of the king he 
painted a dark veil to signify that his grief was 
beyond the power of art to express. Now, if 
all that we have said so inadequately expresses 
the single benefit of creation, how can we with 
any justice represent the supreme benefit of 
Redemption ? By a single act of His will God 
created the whole universe, diminishing there¬ 
by neither the treasures of His riches nor the 
power of His almighty arm. But to redeem 
the world He labored for thirty-three years by 
the sweat of His brow. He shed the last drop 
of His blood, and suffered pain and anguish in 
all His senses and all His members. What 
mortal tongue can explain this ineffable mys¬ 
tery ? Yet it is equally impossible for me to 
speak or to be silent. Silence seems ingrati¬ 
tude, and to speak seems rashness. Wherefore, 
I prostrate myself at Thy feet, 0 my God ! be¬ 
seeching Thee to supply for my insufficiency, 
and if my feeble tongue detract from Thy glory, 
while wishing to praise and magnify it, grant 
that Thy elect in heaven may render to Thy 
mercy the worship which Thy creatures here 
below are incapable of offering Thee. 


46 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


After God had created mail and placed him 
in the delights of the terrestrial paradise, by the 
very favors which should have bound him to the 
service of his Creator he was emboldened to 
rebel against Him. For this he was driven into 
exile and condemned to the eternal pains of 
liell. He had imitated the rebellion of Satan ; 
therefore, it was just that he should share his 
punishment. AVhcn Giezi, the servant of Eli- 
seus, received presents from Naaman the leper, 
the prophet said to him : “ Since thou hast re¬ 
ceived Naaman’s money, the leprosy of Naaman 
shall also cleave to thee and to thy seed for 
ever. And lie went out from him a leper as 
white as snow.” * God pronounced a like sen¬ 
tence against man; Adam wished to share the 
riches of Lucifer, that is, his pride and his re¬ 
volt, and, in consequence, the leprosy of Lucifer, 
that is, the punishment of his revolt, became 
his portion also. By sin, therefore, man be¬ 
comes like Satan, he imitates him in his guilt, 
and shares in his punishment. 

Having brought such misery upon himself, 
man became the object of the Divine compas¬ 
sion, for God was more moved by the condition 
of His fallen creature than He was indignant 
at the outrage offered to His goodness. He re¬ 
solved to restore man and reconcile him with 
Himself through the mediation of His only 
Son. But how was reconciliation effected*? 
Again, what human tongue can express this 
mercy ? Through our Mediator Christ such a 
friendship was established between God and 

* 4 Kings y. 26, 27. 


The Sinners Guide . 


47 


man that the Creator nofc only pardoned His 
creature and restored him to His grace and love, 
but even became one with him. Man has be¬ 
come so one with God that in all creation there 
is no union that can be compared to this. It is 
not only a union of grace and love, but it is a 
union of person also. Who could have thought 
that such a breach would be so perfectly re¬ 
paired ? Who could have imagined that two 
beings so widely separated by nature and sin 
should one day be united, not only in the same 
house, at the same table, and in a union of 
grace, but in one and the same person ? 
Can we think of two beings more widely sepa¬ 
rated than God and the sinner ? Yet where 
will we find two beings more closely united ? 
“There is nothing,” says St. Bernard, “more 
elevated than God, and nothing more base than 
the clay of which man is formed. Yet God has 
with such great humility clothed Himself in 
this clay, and the clay has been so honorably 
raised to God, that we may ascribe to the clay 
all the actions of God, and to God all the suffer¬ 
ings of the clay.” * 

When man stood naked and trembling before 
his Creator, who could have made him believe 
that one day his unhappy nature would be unit¬ 
ed to God in one and the same person ? This 
union was so close that even the supreme mo¬ 
ment of the Cross could not sever it. Death 
dissolved the union between soul and body, 
but could not separate the divinity from the 
humanity, for what Christ had once taken 

* Super Cant. Horn. lix. et lxlv. 


48 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


upon Himself for love of us He never aban¬ 
doned. 

Thus was our peace established. Thus did 
God apply to us the remedy for our sovereign 
miseries. And we owe Him more gratitude, 
perhaps, for the manner of applying this reme¬ 
dy than for the remedy itself. Yes, Lord, I 
am infinitely indebted to Thee for redeeming 
me from hell, for re-establishing me in Thy 
grace, and for restoring my liberty; but I 
should be still more grateful, were it possible, 
for the manner in which Thou hast wrought 
these wonders. All Thy works are admirable, 
0 Lord ! and when lost in wonder at a power 
that seems to have reached its limit, we have 
only to raise our eyes to behold still another 
marvel which eclipses all the rest. Nor is 
this any disparagement of Thy power, 0 Lord! 
but rather a manifestation of Thy glory. 

But what, 0 Lord ! is the remedy Thou didst 
choose for my deep misery ? Innumerable 
were the ways in which Thou couldst have 
redeemed me without toil or suffering; but 
in Thy magnificence, and to testify Thy great 
love for me, Thou didst will to endure such 
pain and sufferings that the very thought of 
them bathed Thee in a sweat of blood, and 
at the sight of them the rocks were rent asun¬ 
der. May the heavens praise Thee, 0 Lord ! 
and may the angels proclaim Thy mercies ! 
What did our virtues avail Thee, or liow wast 
Thou harmed by our sins? “If thou sin,” 
says Eliu to Job, “ what shalt thou hurt Him ? 
And if thy iniquities be multiplied, what shalt 


The Sinner's Guide . 


49 


thou do against Him ? And if thou do justly, 
what shalt thou give Him, or what shall He 
receive from thy hand ? ” * 

This great God, so rich and powerful, so free 
from all evils, Whose wisdom and possessions 
can neither be increased nor lessened, Who 
would be equally glorious in Himself whether 
men and angels praised Him for ever in 
heaven, or blasphemed Him for ever in hell; 
this great God, impelled by no necessity, but 
yielding to His love, came down from heaven to 
this place of exile, clothed Himself with our 
nature when we were His enemies, took upon 
Himself our infirmities, and even death, and 
to heal our wounds endured torments more ter¬ 
rible than any that had ever before been borne, 
or that ever again will be undergone. 

It was for me, 0 Lord !. that Thou wast 
born in a stable, laid in a manger, and circum¬ 
cised on the eighth day after Thy birth. For 
me wast Thou driven from Thy country and 
exiled to Egypt. For my sake Thou didst fast 
and watch, shedding bitter tears, and sweating 
blood from every pore. For me Thou wast 
seized as a malefactor, forsaken, sold, denied, 
betrayed, dragged from tribunal to tribunal, 
buffeted, spat upon, bruised with blows, and 
delivered to the gibes of an infamous rabble. 
For me Thou didst die upon a Cross, in the 
sight of Thy most holy Mother, enduring pov¬ 
erty so great that even the consolation of a 
drop of water was denied to Thy burning lips. 
Thou wert abandoned by the world, and so 

♦Job xxxv. 6, 7. 


50 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


great was Thy desolation that even Thy Father 
seemed to have forsaken Thee. At such a cost, 
0 God ! didst Thou restore to me my life. 

Can we, without the deepest grief, behold 
this spectacle—God hanging as a malefactor 
upon an infamous gibbet ? We could not 
withhold our compassion from a criminal who 
had brought such misfortune upon himself; 
and if our compassion be greater when the vic¬ 
tim is innocent, and his excellence known to 
us, what must have been the astonishment and 
grief of the Angels, with their knowledge of 
His perfection, when they saw Him over¬ 
whelmed with ignominy and condemned to die 
upon the cross ? The two cherubim placed by 
God’s command* on each side of the ark, look¬ 
ing towards the mercy-seat in wonder and ad¬ 
miration, are an emblem of the awe with which 
the heavenly spirits were seized at the sight of 
God’s supreme mercy in becoming the propitia¬ 
tion for the world on the sacred wood of His 
cross. Who, then, can contain his astonish¬ 
ment or forbear to exclaim with Moses: “ 0 
Lord God, merciful and gracious, patient and 
of much compassion, and true ! ” f Who would 
not, like Elias, l cover his eyes did he see God 
passing, not in the splendor of His majesty, 
but in the depths of His humiliation ; not in 
the might of His power, moving mountains 
and rending rocks, but as a malefactor, deliv¬ 
ered to the cruelties of a brutal multitude ? 
While, then, we confess our inability to under¬ 
stand this incomprehensible mystery, will we 

* Exod. xxv. 18. t Exod. xxxiv. 6. $ 3 Kings xix. 13. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


51 


not open our hearts to the sweet influence of 
such boundless love, and make, as far as we are 
able, a corresponding return ? Oh ! abyss of 
charity ! Oh ! boundless mercy ! Oh ! incom¬ 
prehensible goodness ! By Thy ignominy, 0 
Lord ! Thou hast purchased honor for me. 
By Thy Blood Thou hast washed away the 
stains of my sins. By Thy death Thou hast 
given me life. By Thy tears Thou hast deliv¬ 
ered me from eternal weeping. 0 best of 
Fathers ! how tenderly hast Thou loved Thy 
children ! 0 good Shepherd, Who hast given 

Thyself as food to Thy flock! 0 faithful 

Guardian, Who didst lay down Thy life for the 
creatures of Thy care ! With what tears can I 
return Thy tears ? With what life can I repay 
Thy life ? What are the tears of a creature 
compared to the tears of his Creator, or what 
is the life of a man compared to that of his 
God ? Think not, 0 man ! that thy debt is 
less because God suffered for all men as well as 
for thee. Each of His creatures was as present 
to His Divine mind as if He died for him 
alone. His charity was so great, the holy Doc¬ 
tors tell us, that had but one man sinned He 
would have suffered to redeem him. Consider, 
therefore, what thou owest a Master Who has 
done so much for thee and Who would have 
done still more had thy welfare required it. 

Tell me, 0 ye creatures ! whether a greater 
benefit, a more generous favor, a more binding 
obligation can be conceived. Tell me, 0 ye celes¬ 
tial choirs ! whether God has done for you what 
He has done for us ? Who, then, will refuse to 


52 The Sinner's Guide. 

give himself without reserve to the service of such 
a Master ? “I thrice owe Thee all that I am, 
0 my God !” exclaims St. Anselm. “By my 
creation I owe Thee all that I am. Thou hast 
confirmed this debt by redeeming me ; and by 
promising to be my eternal reward, Thou dost 
compel me to give myself wholly to Thee. 
Why, then, do I not give myself to One Who has 
such a just claim to my service ? Oh ! insup¬ 
portable ingratitude ! Oh ! invincible hardness 
of the human heart, which will not be softened 
by such benefits ! Metals yield to fire ; iron is 
made flexible in the forge ; and diamonds are 
softened by the blood of certain animals. But 
oh ! heart more insensible than stone, harder 
than iron, more adamant than the diamond, wilt 
thou not be moved by the fire of hell, or by the 
benefits of the tenderest of Fathers, or by the 
Blood of the spotless Lamb immolated for love 
of thee ? ” 

Since Thy mercy and Thy love have been so 
powerfully manifested for us, 0 Lord ! how is it 
that there are men who do not love Thee, who 
forget Thy benefits or use them to offend Thee? 
To whom will they give their love, if they refuse 
it to Thee ? What can touch them, if they are 
insensible to Thy benefits ? Ah ! how can I 
refuse to serve a God Who has so lovingly sought 
me and redeemed me ? “And I,” says our Sa¬ 
viour, “if I be lifted up from the earth, will 
draw all things to Myself.” * With what 
strength, Lord, with what chains ? With the 
strength of My love, with the chains of My 

* St. John x'li. 32. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


53 


benefits. “ I will draw them/’ says the Lord by 
His Prophet, “with the cords of Adam, with 
the bands of love.” * Ah ! who will resist these 
chains, who will refuse to yield to these mercies ? 
If, then, it be so great a crime not to love this 
sovereign Lord, what must it be to offend Him, 
to break His commandments ? How can you use 
your hands to offend Him Whose hands are so 
full of benefits for you, Whose hands were nailed 
to the cross for you ? When the unhappy wife 
of the Egyptian minister sought to lead Joseph 
into sin, the virtuous youth replied : “ Behold, 
my master hath delivered all things to me, and 
knoweth not what he hath in his own house ; 
neither is there anything which is not in my 
power or that he hath not delivered to me, but 
thee, who art his wife. How, then, can I do 
this wicked thing and sin against my God ?” f 
Mark the words of Joseph. He does not say: 
‘‘I should not, or it is not just that 1 offend 
Him,” but “ how can I do this wicked thing ?” 
From this let us learn that great favors should 
not only deprive us of the will, but, in a 
measure, even of the power, to offend our 
benefactor. 

If, therefore, the son of Jacob felt such grati¬ 
tude for perishable benefits, what should be ours 
for the immortal blessings God has bestow r ed 
upon us ? Joseph’s master entrusted him with 
all his possessions. God has given us not only 
His possessions but Himself. What is there on 
earth that He has not made for us ? Earth, 
sky, sun, moon, stars, tides, birds, beasts, fishes 

* Osee xi. 4. t Gen. xxxix. 8, 9. 


54 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


—in sliort, all things under heaven are onrs, 
and even the riches of heaven itself, the glory 
and happiness of eternity. “All things are 
yours,” says the Apostle, “whether it be Paul, 
or Apollo, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or 
death, or things present, or things to come ; for 
all are yours,” * for all these contribute to your 
salvation. And we not only possess the riches 
of heaven, but the Lord of heaven. He has 
given Himself to us in a thousand ways ; as our 
Father, our Teacher, our Saviour, our Master, 
our Physician, our Example, our Food, our Re¬ 
ward. In brief, the Father has given us the 
Son, and the Son has made us worthy to receive 
the Holy Ghost, and the Holy Ghost has united 
us to the Father and the Son, "the Source of every 
grace and blessing. Again, since God has given 
you all the benefits you enjoy, how can you use 
these benefits to outrage so magnificent a Bene¬ 
factor ? If you are unmindful of the crime of 
your ingratitude, you are more ungrateful than 
the savage beasts, colder and more hardened 
than senseless objects. St. Ambrose, after Pliny, 
relates the story of a dog that had witnessed the 
murder of his master. All night the faithful 
animal remained by the body, howling most 
piteously, and on the following day, when a 
concourse of people visited the scene, the dog 
noticed the murderer among them, and falling 
upon him with rage, thus led to the discovery 
of his crime. If poor animals testify so much 
love and fidelity for a morsel of bread, will you 
return offences for divine benefits ? If a dog 

* 1 Cor. iii. 22. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


will manifest such indignation against liis 
master’s murderer, how can you look with in¬ 
difference on the murderers of your sovereign 
Lord ? And who are these murderers ? None 
other than your sins. Yes, your sins appre¬ 
hended Him and bound Him with ignominious 
fetters, loaded Him with infamy, overwhelmed 
Him with outrages, bruised Him with blows, and 
nailed Him to the cross. His executioners could 
never have accomplished this without the fatal 
aid of your sins. Will you, then, feel no hatred 
for the barbarous enemies who put your Saviour 
to death ? Can you look upon this Victim im¬ 
molated for you, without feeling an increase of 
love for Him ? All that He did and suffered 
upon earth was intended to produce in our 
hearts a horror and detestation of sin. His 
hands and feet were nailed to the cross in order 
to bind sin. Will you render all His sufferings 
and labors fruitless to you ? Will you remain 
in the slavery of sin when He purchased your 
freedom at the price of His Blood ? Will you 
not tremble at the name of sin, which God has 
wrought such wonders to efface ? What more 
could God have done to turn men from sin than 
to place Himself nailed to the cross between them 
and this terrible evil ? What man would dare to 
offend God, were heaven and hell open before 
him ? Yet a God nailed to a cross is a still 
more terrible and appalling sight. I know not 
what can move one who is insensible to such 
a spectacle. 


56 


The Sinner's Guide . 


CHAPTER V. 

THE FIFTH MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO 
PRACTISE VIRTUE : THE BENEFIT OF OUR 
JUSTIFICATION. 

W HAT would the benefit of Redemption 
avail us, if it had not been followed by 
that of justification, through which the 
sovereign virtue of Redemption is ap¬ 
plied to our souls ? For as the most excellent 
remedies avail us nothing if not applied to our 
disorders, so the sovereign remedy of Redemp¬ 
tion would be fruitless were it not applied to us 
through the benefit of justification. This is 
the work of the Holy Ghost, to whom the sanc¬ 
tification of man in a special manner belongs. 
It is He Who attracts the sinner by His mercy, 
Who calls him, Who leads him in the ways of 
wisdom, Who justifies him, Who raises him to 
perfection, Who imparts to him the gift of per¬ 
severance, to which, in the end, He will add the 
crown of everlasting glory. These are the dif¬ 
ferent degrees of grace contained in the inesti¬ 
mable benefit of justification. 

The first of these graces is our vocation. 
Man cannot throw off the yoke of sin ; he can¬ 
not return from death to life, nor from a child 
ot wrath can he become a child of God, without 
the assistance of divine grace. For our Saviour 
has declared : “ No man can come to Me ex¬ 
cept the Father Who hath sent Me draw 


The Sinner's Guide . 


57 


him.” * St. Thomas thus explains these words : 
“As a stone,“ when other forces are removed, 
naturally falls to the ground, and cannot rise 
again without the application of some extra¬ 
neous power, so man, corrupted by sin, ever 
tends downwards, attracted to earth by the love 
of perishable possessions, and cannot, without 
the intervention of divine grace, rise to heavenly 
things or a desire for supernatural perfection.” 
This truth merits our consideration and our 
tears, for it shows us the depth of our misery, 
and the necessity under which we labor of in¬ 
cessantly imploring the divine assistance. 

But to return to our subject : who can ex¬ 
press all the benefits brought to us by justifi¬ 
cation ? It banishes from our souls sin, the 
source of all evils. It reconciles us to God and 
restores us to His friendship ; for in truth the 
greatest evil which sin brings on us is that it 
makes us the objects of God’s hatred. God, be¬ 
ing infinite goodness, must sovereignly abhor all 
that is evil. “ Thou hatest all the workers of 
iniquity,” exclaims His prophet; “Thou wilt 
destroy all that speak a lie. The bloody and 
the deceitful man the Lord will abhor.” f The 
enmity of God is evidently the greatest of 
evils fcr us, since it cuts us off from the friend¬ 
ship of God, the source of every blessing. From 
this misfortune justification delivers us, restor¬ 
ing us to God’s grace, and uniting us to Him 
by the most intimate love, that of a father for 
a son. Hence the beloved disciple exclaims : 
“ Behold what manner of charity the Father 

* St. John vi- 44. + Ps. v. 7, 8. 


58 


The Sinner's Guide. 


hath bestowed upon ns, that we should he 
called, and should be the sons of God."* The 
Apostle would have us understand that we bear 
not only the name but are in truth the sons of 
God, in order that we may appreciate the liber¬ 
ality and magnificence of God’s mercy to us. 

If God’s enmity be such a terrible misfor¬ 
tune, what an incomparable blessing His friend¬ 
ship must be ! For it is an axiom in philosophy 
that according as a thing is evil, so is its oppo¬ 
site good; hence the opposite of that which is 
supremely evil must be supremely good. How, 
man’s supreme evil is the enmity of God ; 
therefore, his supreme good must be the friend¬ 
ship of God. If men set such value upon the 
favor of their masters, their fathers, their 
princes, their kings, how highly should they es¬ 
teem this sovereign Master, this most excellent 
Father, this King of kings, compared to whom 
all power and riches and principalities are as if 
they were not! 

The benefit we are considering is largely en¬ 
hanced by the liberality with which it is bestow¬ 
ed. For as man before his creation was unable 
to merit the gift of existence, so after his fall 
he could do nothing to merit his justification. 
Ho act of his could satisfy the Creator, in 
Whose sight he was an object of hatred. 

Another blessing flowing from justification is 
our deliverance from the eternal pains of hell. 
Having driven God from him by sin ; having 
despised His love, man in his turn is justly re¬ 
jected by God. Inordinate love for creatures 

* St. 1 John iii. 1. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


59 


led him away from the Creator, and, therefore, 
it is but just that these same creatures should 
be the instruments of his punishment. There¬ 
fore, he was condemned to the eternal pains of 
hell, compared to which the sufferings of this 
life are so light that they appear more imaginary 
than real. Add to these torments the undying- 
worm which unceasingly gnaws the conscience 
of the sinner. What shall I say of his society, 
demons of perversity and reprobate men ? Con¬ 
sider also the confusion and darkness of this 
terrible abode, where there is no rest, no joy, 
no peace, no hope, but eternal rage and blas¬ 
phemies, perpetual weeping and ceaseless gnash¬ 
ing of teeth. Behold the torments from which 
God delivers those whom He justifies. 

Another benefit of justification, more spiritual 
and therefore less apparent, is the regeneration 
of the interior man deformed by sin. For sm 
deprives the soul not only of God but of all her 
supernatural power, of the graces and gifts of 
the Holy Ghost, in which her beauty and 
strength consist. A soul thus stripped of the 
riches of grace is weakened and paralyzed in all 
her faculties. For man is essentially a rational 
creature, but sin is an act contrary to reason. 
Hence, as opposites destroy each other, it fol¬ 
lows that the greater and the more numerous our 
sins are, the greater must be the ruin of the facul¬ 
ties of the soul, not in themselves, but in their 
power of doing good. Thus sin renders the 
soul miserable, weak and torpid, inconstant in 
good, cowardly in resisting temptation, slothful 
in the observance of God’s commandments. It 


60 


The Sinner's Guide. 


deprives her of true liberty and of that sove¬ 
reignty which she should never resign ; it makes 
her a slave to the world, the flesh, and the 
devil ; it subjects her to a harder and more 
w r retched servitude than that of the unhappy 
Israelites in Egypt or Babylon. Sin so dulls 
and stupefies the spiritual senses of man that he 
is deaf to God’s voice and inspirations ; blind 
to the dreadful calamities which threaten him ; 
insensible to the sweet odor of virtue and the 
example of the saints ; incapable of tasting how 
sweet the Lord is, or feeling the touch of His 
benign hand in the benefits which should be a 
constant incitement to his greater love. More¬ 
over, sin destroys the peace and joy of a good 
conscience, takes away the soul’s fervor, and 
leaves her an object abominable in the eyes of 
God and His saints. 

The grace of justification delivers us from all 
these miseries. For God, in His infinite mercy, 
is not content with effacing our sins and restor¬ 
ing us to His favor; He delivers us from the 
evils sin has brought upon us, and renews the 
interior man in his former strength and beauty. 
Thus He heals our wounds, breaks our bonds, 
moderates the violence of our passions, restores 
with true liberty the supernatural beauty of 
the soul, re-establishes us in the peace and joy 
of a good conscience, reanimates our interior 
senses, inspires us with ardor for good and a 
salutary hatred of sin, makes us strong and 
constant in resisting evil, and thus enriches us 
with an abundance of good works. In fine. He 
so perfectly renews the inner man with all his 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


61 


faculties that the Apostle calls those who are 
thus justified “new men and new creatures.” * 

This renewal of the inner man is so powerful, 
so true, that in baptism it is called regeneration, 
m penance resurrection ; not only because it 
restores the soul from death of sin to the life of 
grace, but because it is an anticipation of the 
last glorious resurrection. No tongue can ex¬ 
press the beauty of a justified soul ; only the 
Holy Spirit, Who is pleased to dwell therein, 
can tell the sweetness, loveliness, and strength 
with which He has enriched her. The beauty, 
the power, the riches of earth fade into insigni¬ 
ficance before the unspeakable beauty of a soul 
in a state of grace. As far as heaven is above 
earth, as far as mind is above matter, so far 
does the life of grace exceed that of nature, so 
far does the invisible beauty of a soul exceed 
the visible beauty of this world. God Himself 
is enamored with this divine beauty. He 
adorns such souls with infused virtues and the 
seven gifts of the Holy Ghost, imparting, at 
the same time, renewed strength and splendor 
to all her powers. 

Moreover, God, in His boundless liberality, 
sends us the Holy Ghost Himself, whilst the 
three Divine Persons take up their abode in a 
soul thus prepared, in order to teach her to 
make a noble use of the riches with which she 
is endowed. Like a good father, God not only 
leaves His inheritance to His children, but also 
sends them a prudent guardian to administer it. 
This guardian is no other than God Himself, 

* 2 Cor. iv. 16 and Gal. vi. 15. 


62 


• The Sinner’s Guide. 


for, as Christ has declared, “ If any man love 
Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will 
love him, and We will come to him and will 
make Our abode with him.” * 

From these words the Doctors of the Church 
and theologians conclude that the Holy Spirit 
resides in a special manner in the soul of a just 
man, and, distinguishingbetween the Holy Spirit 
and His gifts, they declare that the soul not only 
enjoys these gifts but also the real presence of 
their Divine Author. Entering such a soul, 
God transforms her into a magnificent temple. 
He Himself purifies, sanctifies, and adorns her, 
making her a fitting habitation for her Supreme 
Guest. Contrast this glorious state with the 
miserable condition of a soul in sin, the abode 
of evil spirits and of every abomination, f 

Still another more marvellous benefit of jus¬ 
tification is that it transforms the soul into a 
living member of Christ. This, again, is the 
source of new graces and privileges, for the Son 
of God, loving and cherishing us as His own 
members, infuses into us that virtue which is 
His life, and, as our Head, continually guides 
and directs us. How tenderly, too, does the 
Heavenly Father look upon such souls, as mem¬ 
bers of His Divine Son, united to Him by the 
participation of the same Holy Spirit! Their 
works, therefore, are pleasing to Him, and 
meritorious in His sight, since it is Jesus Christ, 
His only Son, who lives and acts in them. 
Hence, with what confidence they address God 
in prayer, because it is not so much for thern- 

* St. John xiv. 23. t St. Matt. xii. 45. 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


G3 


selves as for His Divine Son that they pray, since 
to Him all the honor of their lives redounds. 
For as the members of the body can receive no 
benefit of which the Head does not partake, so 
neither can Christ, the Head of all the just, be 
separated from their virtues or merits. If it be 
true, as the Apostle tells us,* that they who sin 
against the members of Jesus Christ sin against 
Jesus Christ Himself, and that He regards a 
persecution directed against His members as 
directed against Himself,f is it astonishing that 
He regards the honor paid to His members as 
paid to Himself ? Pray, then, with confidence, 
remembering that your petitions ascend to the 
Eternal Father in the name of His Son, Who is 
your Head. For His sake they will be heard, 
and will redound to His honor ; for, as is gene¬ 
rally admitted, when we ask a favor for the sake 
of another, it is granted, not so much to the one 
who receives it as to the one for whose sake it was 
asked. For this reason we are said to serve God 
when we serve the poor for His sake. 

The final benefit of justification is the right 
which it gives to eternal life. God is infinitely 
merciful as well as infinitely just, and while He 
condemns impenitent sinners to eternal misery, 
He rewards the truly repentant with eternal 
happiness. God could have pardoned men and 
restored them to His favor without raising them 
to a share in His glory, yet in the excess of His 
mercy He adopts those whom He pardons, jus¬ 
tifies those whom He has adopted, and makes 
them partakers of the riches and inheritance of 

* 1 Cor. vi. 15. t Acts ix. 


64 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Ilis only-begotten Son. It is the hope of this 
incomparable inheritance which sustains and 
comforts the just in all their tribulations; for 
they feel even in the midst of the most cruel 
adversity that “that which is at present mo¬ 
mentary and light of our tribulation worketh 
for us above measure exceedingly an eternal 
weight of glory.” * 

These are the graces comprehended in the ines¬ 
timable benefit of justification, which St. Augus¬ 
tine justly ranks above that of creation, f For 
God created the world by a single act of His 
will, but to redeem it He shed the last drop of 
His Blood and expired under the most grievous 
torments. St. Thomas gives a like opinion in 
his “ Sum of Theology.” 

Though it is true that no man can be certain 
of his justification, yet there are signs by which 
we can form a favorable judgment. The princi¬ 
pal of these is a change of life ; as, for example, 
when a man who without scruple hitherto com¬ 
mitted innumerable mortal sins would not now 
be guilty of a single grave offence against God 
even to gain the whole world. 

Let him, then, who has attained these happy 
dispositions reflect upon what he owes the Author 
of his justification, Who has delivered him from 
the multitude of evils which are the consequen¬ 
ces of sin, and overwhelmed him with the benefits 
which we have attempted to explain. And as 
for him who has the misfortune to be still in a 
state of sin, I know nothing more efficacious to 
rouse him from his miserable condition than 

* 2 Cor. lv. 17. + Super Joan lxxii. 9. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


65 


the consideration of the evils which sin brings 
in its train, and of the blessings which flow from 
the incomparable benefit of justification. 

The effects produced in the soul by the Holy 
Ghost do not end here. This Divine Spirit, 
not content with causing us to enter the path 
of justice, maintains us therein, strengthening 
us against all obstacles until we arrive at tl*e 
haven of salvation. His love will not permit 
Him to remain idle in a soul which He honors 
by His presence. He sanctifies her with His 
virtue, and effects in her and by her all that is 
necessary to win eternal life. He dwells in the 
soul as a father in the midst of a family, pre¬ 
serving order and peace by his prudent author¬ 
ity ; as a master in the midst of his disciples, 
teaching lessons of Divine wisdom ; as a garden¬ 
er in a garden confided to his intelligent care ; 
as a king in his kingdom, ruling and directing 
all ; as the sun in the midst of the universe, 
enlightening and vivifying her, and directing 
all her movements. Possessing in an eminent 
degree all the good that is in creatures, He 
produces, but in a far more perfect manner, all 
the effects of which these creatures are capable. 
As fire He vivifies our understanding, enkin¬ 
dles our will, and detaches us from earth to 
raise ns to heavenly things ; as a dove He ren- - 
ders us sweet, gentle, and compassionate to one 
another; as a cloud He shelters us from the 
burning sensuality of the flesh, and tempers the 
heat of our passions ; as a violent wind He im¬ 
pels our wills to good and sweeps all evil af¬ 
fections from our hearts. Hence it is that just 


66 


The Sinner's Guide . 


souls abhor the Tices which they formerly 
loved, and embrace the virtues from which 
they formerly shrank. Witness David, who 
cries out: “I have hated and abhorred ini¬ 
quity : . . . I have rejoiced in the w 7 ay of Thy 
testimonies as much as in all riches.” * 

It is to the Holy Ghost that we are indebted 
for all our progress in virtue. It is He who 
preserves us from evil and maintains us in 
good. It is He who is the principle of our per¬ 
severance, and who finally crowns us in Hea¬ 
ven. This it was which led St. Augustine to 
say that in rewarding our merits God but 
crowns His own gifts, f The holy patriarch 
Joseph, not content with giving to his brethren 
the corn which they came to purchase, ordered 
also that the money which they paid for it 
should be secretly returned to them. God 
treats His elect with still greater liberality. He 
not only gives them eternal life, but furnishes 
them the grace and virtue to attain it. “ Wo 
adore Him,” says Eusebius Emissenus, “that 
He may be merciful to us, but He has already 
been merciful to us in giving us grace to adore 
Him.” 

Let each one, then, glance over his life and 
consider, as the same holy Doctor suggests, all 
the good he has been permitted to do, and all 
the sins of impurity, injustice, and sacrilege 
from which he has been preserved, and he will 
comprehend in some measure what he owes to 
God. On this point St. Augustine well ob¬ 
serves that God shows no less mercy in preserv- 

* Ps. cxviii. + “ Confess.,” i. SO. 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


67 


ing man from sin than in pardoning him after 
lie has fallen.* Indeed, it is a greater proof of 
love. Therefore, the same saint, writing to a 
virgin, says : “ Man should consider that God 
has pardoned him all the sins from which Tie 
has preserved him. Think not, therefore, that 
you may love this Master with a feeble love 
because He has pardoned you but few sins. 
Your debt of love, on the contrary, is greater 
for His preventing grace which has saved you 
from committing many. For if a man must 
love a creditor who forgives him a debt, how 
much more reason has he to love a benefactor 
who gratuitously bestows upon him a like 
amount ? For if a man live chastely all his 
life, it is God Who preserves him; if he be 
converted from immorality to a pure life, it is 
God Who reforms him ; and if he continue in 
his disorders till the end, it is also God Who 
justly forsakes him.” 

What, then, should our conclusion be but to 
unite our voices with the prophet, saying : “ Let 
my mouth be filled witli praise, that I may sing 
Thy glory, Thy greatness all the day long” ?f 
St. Augustine, commenting upon these words 
of the prophet, asks : “ What means all the day 
long ? ” And he answers : “ Under all circum¬ 
stances and without interruption. Yes, Lord, I 
will praise Thee in prosperity because Thou 
dost comfort me, and in adversity because Thou 
dost chastise me. For my whole being I will 
praise Thee, because Thou art its Author. In 
my repentance I will praise Thee, because Thou 

* “ Conf.,” ii. 7. +Pe. lxs. 8. 


68 


The Sinner's Guide . 


dost pardon me. In my perseverance I will 
praise Thee, because Thou wilt crown me. 
Thus, 0 Lord ! my mouth will be filled with 
Thy praise, and I will sing Thy glory all the 
day long.” 

It would be fitting to speak here of the sacra¬ 
ments, the instruments of justification, particu¬ 
larly of Baptism, and the divine light and prin¬ 
ciple of faith which it imprints on our souls. 
But as this subject has been more fully treated 
in another work, we will confine ourselves, for 
the present, to the Eucharist, that Sacrament 
of sacraments, which gives to us as our daily 
food and sovereign remedy God Himself. He 
was offered once for us on the cross, but He is 
daily offered for us on the altar. “ This is My 
Body,” Christ has declared ; “ do this for a com¬ 
memoration of Me.” * Oh ! sacred Pledge of 
our salvation ! Oh ! incomparable Sacrifice ! 
Oh ! Victim of love ! Oh ! Bread of life ! Oh ! 
sweet and delicious Banquet! Oh ! Food of 
kings ! Oh ! Manna containing all sweetness 
and delight! Who can fittingly praise Thee ? 
Who can worthily receive Thee ? Who can love 
and venerate Thee as Thou dost deserve ? My 
soul faints at the thought of Thee ; my lips are 
mute in Thy presence, for I cannot extol Thy 
marvels as I desire. 

Had our Lord reserved this favor for the 
pure and innocent it would still be a mercy 
beyond our comprehension. But in His bound¬ 
less love He does not refuse to descend into 
depraved hearts, or to pass through the hands 

* St. Luke xxii. 19. 


The Sumer's Guide. 69 

of unworthy ministers who are the slaves of 
Satan and the victims of their unruly pas¬ 
sions. To reach the hearts of His friends and 
to bring them His divine consolations He sub¬ 
mits to innumerable outrages and profanations. 
He was sold once in His mortal life, but in this 
august Sacrament He is unceasingly betrayed. 
The scorn and ignominy of His Passion afflicted 
Him only once, but in this sacred Banquet His 
love and goodness are daily insulted and out¬ 
raged. Once He was nailed to the cross be¬ 
tween two thieves, but in this Sacrament of 
love His enemies crucify Him a thousand times. 

What return, then, can we make to a Master 
who seeks our good in so many ways ? If ser¬ 
vants obey and serve their masters for a paltry 
support; if soldiers from a like motive brave 
fire and sword, what do we not owe God, Who 
maintains us with this heavenly Food ? If God 
in the Old Law exacted so much gratitude from 
the Israelites for the manna, which, with all its 
excellence, was only corruptible food, what gra¬ 
titude will He not expect for this Divine Nou¬ 
rishment, incorruptible in Itself, and conferring 
the same blessing on all who worthily receive 
It ? If we owe Him so much for the food 
which preserves our bodily life, what return 
must we not make Him for the Food which 
preserves in us the life of grace ? And, finally, 
if our debt of gratitude be so great for being 
made children of Adam, what do we owe Him 
for making us children of God ? For it cannot 
be denied, as Eusebius Emissenus observes, 
“ that the day we are born to eternity is inti- 


70 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


nitely greater than the day which brings ns 
forth to this world, with all its suffering and 
dangers. ” 

Here, then, dear Christian, is another motive 
which should induce you to serve God, another 
link in that chain which should bind you ir¬ 
revocably to your Creator. 


CHAPTER VI. 

THE SIXTH MOTIVE WHICH OBLIGES US TO 
PRACTISE VIRTUE : THE INCOMPREHENSIBLE 
BENEFIT OF ELECTION. 

T O all the benefits which we have just enume¬ 
rated we must add that of election, or pre¬ 
destination, which belongs to those whom 
God has chosen from all eternity to be 
partakers of His glory. The Apostle, in his 
Epistle to the Ephesians,* thus gives thanks, in 
his own name and that of the elect, for this 
inestimable benefit: “ Blessed be God and the 
Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who hath 
blessed us with every spiritual blessing in hea¬ 
venly places, in Christ; as He chose us in Him 
before the foundation of the world, that we 
should be holy and unspotted-in His sight, in 
charity ; Who hath predestinated ns unto the 
adoption of children through Jesus Christ unto 
Himself, according to the purpose of His will.” 
The Royal Prophet thus extols this same bene- 

* Eph. i. 3, 4, 5. 



The Sinner’s Guide . 


71 


fit: “ Blessed is lie whom Thou hast chosen and 
taken to Thee ; he shall dwell in Thy courts.” * 
Election, therefore, may be justly called the 
grace of graces, since God, in His boundless 
liberality, bestows it upon us before we have 
x merited it; for, while giving to each one what 
is necessary for his salvation, He wills, as abso¬ 
lute master of His gifts, to bestow them in 
greater abundance upon certain souls, without 
any injury, however, to others less favored. It 
is also the grace of graces not only because it is 
the greatest, but because it is the source of all the 
others. For in predestining man to glory God 
determines to bestow upon him all the graces 
necessary to attain this happiness. This He has 
declared by the mouth of His prophet: “ I have 
loved thee with an everlasting love; therefore 
have I drawn thee, taking pity on thee.” f 
This truth is still more clearly expressed by the 
Apostle : “ For whom He foreknew He also 
predestinated to be made conformable to the 
image of His Son, that He might be the first¬ 
born amongst many brethren. And whom Ho 
predestinated, them also He called. And whom 
He called, them also He justified. And whom 
He justified, them also He glorified.” J A fa¬ 
ther who destines his son for a special career in 
life prepares and educates him from his boyhood 
with a view to this career. In like manner, 
when God has predestined a soul to eternal 
happiness He directs her in the path of justice, 
that she may attain the end for which He has 
chosen her. 

* Ps. lxiv. 5. t Jercmias xxxi. 8. $ Bom. via. 29, 30. 


72 


The Sinners Guide . 


All, therefore, who recognize in themselves 
any mark of election should bless God for this 
great and eternal benefit. Though it is a secret 
hidden from human eyes, yet there are certain 
signs of election, as there are of justification ; 
and as the first mark of our justification is the 
conversion of our lives, so the surest mark of 
our predestination is our perseverance in the 
good thus begun. He who has lived for a num¬ 
ber of years in the fear of God, carefully avoid¬ 
ing sin, may hope that God, in the words of the 
Apostle, “ will confirm him unto the end with¬ 
out crime, in the day of the coming of our Lord 
Jesus Christ.” * 

Ho man, however, can be certain of his per¬ 
severance or election. Did not Solomon, the 
wisest of kings, after having lived virtuously 
for many years, fall into iniquity in his old age ? 
Yet his example is one of the exceptions to the 
rule, which he himself teaches in these words: 
“ It is a proverb: A young man according to 
his way, even when he is old he will not depart 
from it” ;f so that if his youth has been vir¬ 
tuous his old age will likewise be honorable. 
From these and similar indications to be found 
in the lives of the saints a man may humbly 
hope that God lias numbered him among the 
elect, that his name is written in the Book of 
Life. 

How great, then, should be our gratitude for 
such a benefit ! God Himself tells His Apos¬ 
tles: “ Rejoice not in this, that spirits are 
subject unto you ; but rejoice in this, that your 

* 1 Cor. i. 8. t Prov. xxii. 6. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


73 


names are written in heaven.” * What, in fact, 
can be a greater happiness than to have been 
from all eternity the object of God’s love and 
choice; to have had a privileged place in His 
Heart throughout the eternal years; to have 
been chosen as the child of His adoption before 
the birth of His Son according to nature ; and 
to have been always present to His Divine Mind, 
clothed in the splendor of the saints ! 

Weigh all the circumstances of this election, 
and you will find that each of them is an 
extraordinary favor, a new motive to love and 
serve God. Consider first the greatness of Him 
Who has chosen you. It is God Himself, Who, 
being infinitely rich and infinitely happy, had 
no need of you or any other creature. Next 
represent to yourself the profound unworthiness 
of the object of this election—a miserable crea¬ 
ture exposed to all the infirmities of this life, 
and deserving by his sins the eternal torments 
of the future. Reflect, too, how glorious is this 
election, by which you are raised to the dignity 
of a child of God and heir to His kingdom. 
Consider, farther, how generously and gratui¬ 
tously this favor is bestowed. It preceded all 
merit on our part, and sprang solely from the 
good pleasure and mercy of God, and, accord¬ 
ing to the Apostle, turns 4 ‘ unto the praise of 
the glory of His grace.” f Now, the more gra¬ 
tuitous a favor is, the greater the obligation it 
imposes. 

The origin and the antiquity of this election 
also merit special consideration. It did not be- 

* Luke x. 20. t Ephes. i. 6. ^ 


74 The Sinner’s Guide. 

gin with this world ; it preceded the existence 
of the universe; it was coeval with the very 
existence of God. From all eternity He loved 
His elect. They were ever present to Him, and 
His will to render them eternally happy was as 
lixed as His own Being. Observe, finally, what 
a singular benefit this is. Among the many na¬ 
tions plunged in the darkness of paganism, 
among the many souls condemned to perdition, 
you have been selected to share the happy lot of 
the elect. Out of the mass of perdition He has 
raised you, and the leaven of corruption and 
death He has changed into the bread of Angels 
and the wheat of the elect. The value of this 
benefit is still farther increased when we reflect 
how small is the number of the elect and how 
great is the number of the lost. Solomon says 
that “the number of fools”—that is, the re¬ 
probate—“is infinite.”* But if none of these 
considerations move you, be touched at least by 
the sight of all that it has cost God to confer 
this immortal benefit on you. He purchased it 
for you with the Life and Blood of His only 
Son ; for He resolved from all eternity to send 
Him into this world to execute His loving and 
merciful decree. Who, then, would be so base 
as to wait until the end of his life to love 
God, Who has loved him from eternity ? “ For¬ 
sake not an old friend,” we are told in Scrip¬ 
ture,! “for a new one not be like him.” 
Who, then, will forsake this Friend Whose love 
for us had no beginning, and Whose claim to 
our love is likewise from eternity ? Who will 

* Eccles. i. 15. t Ecclus. Lx. 14. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 75 

not give np all the goods of this world, who will 
not bear all the evils of this world, to share in 
this blessed friendship ? How great would be 
our respect for the poorest beggar were we as¬ 
sured by divine revelation that lie was predes¬ 
tined to share God’s glory ! Would we not kiss 
the ground upon which he trod ? “0 happy 

soul ! ” we would cry. “ 0 enviable lot ! Is it 
possible that thou art surely to behold God in 
all the splendor of His majesty ? Art thou to 
rejoice with the angels for ever ? Will thy ears 
be ravished with sweet music for all eternity ? 
Art thou to gaze upon the radiant beauty of 
Christ and His blessed Mother? Oh ! happy day 
when thou wast born ! But happier still the 
day of thy death, which will introduce thee to 
eternal life. Happy the bread thou eatest and 
the ground upon which thou dost tread ! Hap¬ 
pier still the pains and insults thou endurest, 
for they open to thee the way to eternal rest! 
For what clouds, what tribulations, can over¬ 
come the power and joy of such a hope as 
thine ?” 

We would doubtless break out into such 
transports as these did we behold and recognize 
a predestined soul. For if people run out to 
see a prince, the heir to a great kingdom, as he 
passes through the street, marvelling at his good 
fortune, as the world esteems it, how much more 
reason have we to marvel at the happy lot of 
one who, without any previous merit on his 
part, has been elected from his birth, not to a 
temporal kingdom, but to reign eternally in 
heaven ! 


76 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


You may thus understand, dear Christian, 
the gratitude the elect owe to God. And yet 
there is no one, provided he do what is necessary 
for salvation, who may not consider himself of 
this happy number. “Labor, therefore, the 
more,” as St. Peter tells yon, “ that by good works 
you may make sure your calling and election.” * 
We should never lose sight, therefore, of our 
end, for God’s grace is never wanting to us, and 
we can do all things in Him Who strengthens 
us. 


CHAPTER VII. 


THE SEVENTH MOTIVE FOR PRACTISING VIRTUE *. 
THE THOUGHT OF DEATH, THE FIRST OF THE 
FOUR LAST THINGS. 


A NY one of the motives we have just 
enumerated should be sufficient to 
induce man to give himself wholly to 
the service of a Master to Whom he is 
bound by so many ties of gratitude. But 
as the generality of men are more influenced 
by personal interest than by motives of justice, 
we will here make known the inestimable ad¬ 
vantages of virtue in this life and the next. 

We will first speak of the greatest among 
them : the glory which is the reward of virtue, 
and the terrible punishment from which it 
delivers us. These two are the principal oars 
which propel us in our voyage to eternity. For 

* 2 St. Peter i. 10. 



The Sinner’s Guide . 


77 


this reason St. Francis and our holy Father St. 
Dominic, both having been animated by the same 
spirit, commanded in their rules the preachers 
of their orders to make vice and virtue, reward 
and punishment, the only subjects of their ser¬ 
mons, in order to instruct men in the precepts 
of the Christian life and to inspire them with 
courage to put them in practice. Moreover, it 
is a common principle among philosophers that 
reward and punishment are the most powerful 
motives for good with the mass of mankind. 
Such, alas ! is our misery that we are not con¬ 
tent with virtue alone; it must be accompanied 
w T ith the fear of punishment or the hope of 
reward. 

But as there is no reward or punishment so 
worthy of our consideration as those that .never 
end, we will treat of eternal glory and eternal 
misery, together with death and judgment, which 
precede them. These are the most powerful 
incentives to love virtue and hate vice, for we 
are told in Scripture: “In all thy works re¬ 
member thy last end, and thou shalt never 
sin.” * 

The first of these is death. Let us, then, 
consider it, for it is a truth which of all others 
makes most impression upon us, from the fact 
that it is so undisputed and so frequently 
brought before our minds. Especially do we 
realize this when we reflect on the particular 
judgment which each one must undergo as soon 
as his soul is separated from his body. The 
sentence then passed will be final; it will endure 

*Ecclus. vii.40. 


78 


The Sinner's Guide . 


for all eternity. Since, then, death is such a 
powerful motive to turn us from sin, let us bring 
this terrible hour more vividly before us. 

Bear in mind, therefore, that you are a man 
and a Christian. As man, you must die ; as a 
Christian, you must, immediately after death, 
render an account of your life. The first truth 
is manifest in our daily experience, and the 
second our faith will not permit us to doubt. 
No one, whether king or pope, is exempt from 
this terrible law. A day will come of which 
you will not see the night, or a night which for 
you will have no morning. A time will come, 
and you know not whether it be this present day 
or to-morrow, when you who are now reading 
my words, in perfect health and in full posses¬ 
sion of all your faculties, will find yourself 
stretched upon a bed of death, a lighted taper 
in your hand, awaiting the sentence pronounc¬ 
ed against mankind—a sentence which admits 
neither delay nor appeal. 

Consider, also, how uncertain is the hour of 
death. It generally comes when man is most 
forgetful of eternal things, overturning bis plans 
for an earthly future, and opening before him 
the appalling vision of eternity. Therefore, the 
Holy Scriptures tell us that it comes as a thief in 
the night; that is, when men are plunged in 
sleep and least apprehensive of danger. The 
forerunner of death is usually a grave illness 
with its attendant weariness, sufferings, and 
pains, which weaken the powers of the body and 
give entrance to the king of terrors. Just as an 
enemy who wishes to take a citadel destroys the 


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outer fortifications, so death with its vanguard 
of sickness breaks down the strength of the 
body, and, as it is about to fall before the re¬ 
peated assaults of its enemy, the soul, no longer 
able to resist, takes its flight from the ruins. 

Who can express the anguish of the moment 
when the severity of the sickness, or the declara¬ 
tion of the physician, undeceives us and robs us 
of all hope of life ? The parting from all we 
hold dear then begins to rise before us. Wife, 
children, friends, relations, honors, riches are 
fast passing, with life, from our feeble grasp. 
Then follow the terrible symptoms which pre¬ 
cede the awful hour. The coldness of death 
seizes our members; the countenance becomes 
deathly pale ; the tongue refuses to perform its 
duty ; all the senses, in fine, are in confusion and 
disorder in the precipitation of this supreme 
departure. Strange resemblance between the 
beginningand the end of our pilgrimage ! The 
mystery of suffering seems to unite them both. 
The terrified soul then beholds the approach of 
that agony which is to terminate its temporal 
existence. Before the distracted mind rise the 
horror and darkness of the grave, where the 
pampered body will become the prey of worms. 
But keener still is the suffering which the soul 
endures from the suspense and uncertainty of 
what her fate will be when she leaves her earthly 
habitation. You will imagine that you are in 
the presence of your Sovereign Judge, and that 
your sins rise up against you to accuse you and 
complete vour condemnation. The heinousness 
of the evil you committed with so much indif- 


80 


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ference will then be manifest to you. You will 
curse a thousand times the day you sinned, and 
the shameful pleasure which was the cause of 
your ruin. You will be an object of astonish¬ 
ment and wonder to yourself. “ How could I,” 
you will ask, “for love of the foolish things 
upon which I set my heart, brave the torments 
which I now behold ?” The guilty pleasures 
will have long since passed away, but their 
terrible and irrevocable punishment will con¬ 
tinue to stare you in the face. Side by side 
with this appalling eternity of misery you will 
see the unspeakable and everlasting happiness 
which you have sacrificed for vanities, transitory 
and sinful pleasures. Everything you will 
behold will be calculated to fill you with terror 
and remorse. Life will have been spent; there 
will be no time for repentance. Nor will the 
friends you have loved or the idols you have 
adored be able to help you. On the contrary, 
that which you have loved during life will be 
the cause of your most poignant anguish at the 
hour of death. What, then, will be your 
thoughts at this supreme hour ? To whom will 
you have recourse ? Whither will you turn ? 
To go forward will be anguish. To go back im¬ 
possible. To continue as you are will not be 
permitted. “It shall come to pass in that day, 
saitli the Lord God, that the sun shall go down 
at mid-day, and I will make the earth dark in 
the daylight.”* Terrible words! Yes, the 
sun shall go down at mid-day, for the sinner at 
the sight of his sins, and at the approach of God’s 

* Amos yiii. 9. 


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81 


justice, already believes himself abandoned by 
the Divine Mercy ; and though life still remains, 
with its opportunities for penance and recon¬ 
ciliation, yet fear too often drives hope from 
the heart, and in this miserable state he breathes 
his last sigh in the darkness of despair. 

Most powerful is this passion of fear. It 
magnifies trifles and makes remote evils appear 
as if present. Now, since this is true of a 
slight apprehension, what will be the effect of 
the terror inspired by a danger so great and im¬ 
minent ? Tiie sinner, though still in life and 
surrounded by his friends, imagines himself al¬ 
ready a prey to the torments of the reprobate. 
His soul is rent at the sight of the possessions 
he must leave, while he increases his misery by 
envying the lot of those from whom he is about 
to be separated. Yes, the sun sets for him at 
mid-day, for, turn his eyes where he will, all is 
darkness. No ray of light or hope illumines 
his horizon. If he think of God’s mercy he 
feels that he has no claim upon it. If he think 
of God’s justice it is only to tremble for its 
execution. He feels that his day is past and 
that God’s time has come. If he look back 
upon his Life a thousand accusing voices sound 
in his ears. If he turn to the present he finds 
himself stretched upon a bed of death. If he 
look to the future he there beholds his Su¬ 
preme Judge prepared to condemn him. How 
can he free himself from so many miseries and 
terrors ? 

If, then, the circumstances which precede our 
departure are so terrible, what will be those 


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which follow ? If such be the vigil of this 
great day, what will be the day itself ? Man’s 
eyes are no sooner closed in death than he ap¬ 
pears before the judgment-seat of God to ren¬ 
der an account of every thought, every word, 
every action of his life. If you would learn the 
severity and rigor of this judgment, ask not 
men who live according to the spirit of this 
world, for, like the Egyptians of old, they are 
plunged in darkness and are the sport of the 
most fatal errors. Seek, rather, those who are 
enlightened by the true Sun of justice. Ask 
the Saints, and they will tell you, more by their 
actions than by their words, how terrible is the 
account we are to render to God. David was a 
just man, yet his prayer was: “ Enter not, 0 
Lord ! into judgment with Thy servant, for in 
Thy sight no man living shall be justified.”* 
Arsenius was also a great saint, and yet at his 
death he was seized with such terror at the 
thought of God’s judgment that his disciples, 
who knew the sanctity of his life, were much 
astonished, and said to him: “Father, why 
should you now fear?” To this he replied: 
“My children, this is no new fear which is 
upon me. It is one that I have known and felt 
during my whole life.” It is said that St. Aga- 
tho at the hour of death experienced like terror, 
and having been asked why he, who had led 
such a perfect life, should fear, he simply an¬ 
swered : “The judgments of God are different 
from the judgments of men.” St. John Clima- 
chus gives a no less striking example of a holy 

* Ps. cxlii. 2. 


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S3 


monk, which is so remarkable that I shall give 
it as nearly as possible in the Saint’s own 
Words: “A religious named Stephen, who 
lived in the same desert with us, had a great 
desire to embrace a more solitary life. He had 
already acquired a reputation for sanctity, hav¬ 
ing been favored with the gift of tears and fast¬ 
ing and other privileges attached to the most 
eminent virtues. Having obtained his supe¬ 
rior’s permission, he built a cell at the foot of 
Mount Horeb, where Elias was honored by his, 
marvellous vision of God. Though his life 
here was one of great sanctity, yet, impelled by 
a desire for still harder labors and greater per¬ 
fection, he withdrew to a place called Siden, in¬ 
habited by holy anchorites who lived in the 
most complete solitude. Here he continued 
for some years in the practice of the severest 
penance, cut off from all human intercourse or 
comfort, for his hermitage was seventy miles 
from any human habitation. As his life ap¬ 
proached its term he felt a desire to return 
to his first cell at Hie foot of Mount Horeb, 
where dwelt two disciples, natives of Palestine. 
Shortly after his arrival he was attacked by a 
fatal illness. The day before his death he fell 
into a state resembling ecstasy. He gazed first 
at one side of his bed, then at the other, and, as 
if engaged in conversation with invisible beings 
who were demanding an account of his life, was 
heard crying out in a loud voice. Sometimes 
he would say : ‘It is true, I confess it; but I 
have fasted many years in expiation of that 
sin ’; or, ‘ It is false; that offence cannot be 


84 


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laid to my charge ’; or, again, ‘ Yes, but I have 
labored for the good of my neighbor so many 
years in atonement thereof.’ To other accusa¬ 
tions he was heard to say : ‘ Alas ! I cannot deny 
it; I can only cast myself upon God’s mercy.’ 

“ Surely this was a thrilling spectacle,” con¬ 
tinues the Saint. “ I cannot describe the terror 
•with which we assisted at this invisible judg¬ 
ment. 0 my God ! what will be my fate, if 
this faithful servant, whose life was one long 
♦penance, knew not how to answer some of the 
accusations brought against him ? If after 
forty years of retirement and solitude, if after 
having received the gift of tears, and such com¬ 
mand over nature that, as I am credibly in¬ 
formed, he fed with his own hand a wild leop¬ 
ard which visited him, the saintly monk so 
trembled for judgment, and, dying, left us in 
uncertainty as to his fate, what have we not to 
fear who lead careless and indifferent lives ? ” If 
you ask me the cause of this terror with which 
the Saints are filled, I will let St. Gregory an¬ 
swer for me : “ Men aspiring to perfection,” 
says the holy Doctor, “constantly reflect upon 
the justice of the Sovereign Judge Who is to 
pronounce sentence upon them in the dread 
hour which terminates their earthly career. 
They unceasingly examine themselves upon the 
account they are to render before this supreme 
tribunal. And if happily they find themselves 
innocent of sinful actions, they still ask with 
fear whether they are equally free from the 
guilt of sinful thoughts. For if it be compara¬ 
tively easy to resist sinful actions, it is more 


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85 


difficult to conquer in the war which we must 
wage against evil thoughts. And though the 
fear of God’s judgment is always before them, 
yet it is redoubled at the hour of death, when 
they are about to appear before His inflexible 
tribunal. At this moment the mind is freed 
from the disturbances of the flesh; earthly 
desires and delusive dreams fade from the im¬ 
agination ; the things of this world vanish at the 
portals of another life ; and the dying man sees 
but God and himself. If he recall no good 
which he has omitted, yet he feels that he can¬ 
not trust himself to give a correct and impartial 
judgment. Hence his fear and terror of the 
rigorous account to be exacted of him.” * Do 
not these words of the great Doctor prove that 
this last hour and this supreme tribunal are 
more to be dreaded than worldly men imagine ? 
If just men tremble at this hour, what must be 
the terror of those who make no preparation 
for it, whose lives are spent in the pursuit of 
vanities and in contempt of God’s command¬ 
ments ? If the cedar of Lebanon be thus 
shaken, how can the reed of the wilderness 
stand ? “And,” as St. Peter tells us, “if the 
just man shall scarcely be saved, where shall the 
ungodly and the sinner appear ?” f 

Deflect, then, on the sentiments that will be 
yours when you will stand before the tribunal 
of God, with no defenders but your good works, 
with no companion but your own conscience. 
And if then you will not be able to satisfy your 
Judge, who will give expression to the bitter- 
* “Moral.,” xxiv. 16, 17. 11 St. Peter iv. 18. 


86 


The Sinner's Guide. 


ness of your anguish ? For the question at 
issue is not a fleeting temporal life, hut an 
eternity of happiness or an eternity of misery. 
Whither will you turn ? What protection will 
you seek ? Your tears will he powerless to 
soften your Judge; the time for repentance 
will be past. Little will honors, dignities, and 
wealth avail you, for “ riches,” says the Wise 
Man, “ shall not profit in the day of vengeance, 
hut justice shall deliver a man from death.”* 
The unhappy soul can only exclaim with the 
prophet: “ The sorrows of death have encom¬ 
passed me, and the perils of hell have found 
me.” f Unhappy wretch! How swiftly this 
hour has come upon me ! What does it now 
avail me that I had friends, or honors, or dig¬ 
nities, or wealth ? All that I can now claim is 
a few feet of earth and a winding-sheet. My 
wealth which I hoarded I must leave to he 
squandered by others, while the sins of injus¬ 
tice which I here committed will pursue me 
into the next world and there condemn me to 
eternal torments. Of all my guilty pleasures 
the sting of remorse alone remains. "Why have 
I made no preparation for this hour ? ’ Why 
was I deaf to the salutary warnings I received ? 
“Why have I hated instruction, and my heart 
consented not to reproofs, and have not heard 
the voice of them that taught me, and have not 
inclined my ear to my masters ?” J 

To preserve you, my dear Christian, from 
these vain regrets, [ beg you to gather from 
what has been said three considerations, and to 

* Prov. xi. 4. t Ps. cxiv. 3. $ Prov. v. 12, 13. 


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87 


keep them continually before your mind. The 
first is the terrible remorse which your sins will 
awaken in you at the hour of death; the second 
is how ardently, though how vainly, you will 
wish that you had faithfully served Him during 
life; and the third is how willingly you would 
accept the most rigorous penance were you 
given time for repentance. Acting on this ad¬ 
vice, you will now begin to regulate your life 
according as you will then wish to have done. 


CHAPTER VIII. 

THE EIGHTH MOTIVE FOR PRACTISING VIRTUE: 
THE THOUGHT OF THE LAST JUDGMENT, THE 
SECOND OF THE FOUR LAST THINGS. 

I MMEDIATELY after death follows the par¬ 
ticular judgment, of which we have been 
treating. But there is a day of general 
judgment, when, in the words of the Apostle, 
“we must all be manifested before the judg¬ 
ment-seat of Christ, that every one may receive 
the proper things of the body, according as lie 
hath done, whether it be good or evil/’ * 

In considering this subject what strikes us as 
most amazing, and what filled the holy soul of 
Job with awe, is that a frail creature like man, 
so prone to evil, should be subjected to such a 
rigorous judgment on the part of Cod, by Whose 
command his every thought, word, and action 

* 2 Cor. v. 10. 



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The Sinner’s Guide. 


are inscribed in the book of life. In his aston¬ 
ishment Job cries out: “ Why hidest Thou Thy 
face, and thinkest me Thy enemy ? Against a 
leaf, that is carried away with the wind, Thou 
showest Thy power, and Thou pursuest a dry 
straw. For Thou writest bitter things against 
me, and wilt consume me for the sins of my 
youth. Thou hast put my feet in the stocks, 
and hast observed all my paths, and hast con¬ 
sidered the steps of my feet: who am to be con¬ 
sumed as rottenness, and as a garment that is 
moth-eaten.” * And returning to the same 
subject, he continues: “ Man born of a woman, 
living for a short time, is filled with many mis¬ 
eries ; who cometh forth like a flower and is de¬ 
stroyed, and fleeth as a shadow, and never con- 
tinueth in the same state. And dost Thou 
think it meet to open Thy eyes upon such a one, 
and to bring him into judgment with Thee? 
Who can make him clean that is born of un¬ 
clean seed ? Is it not Thou who only art ? ” f 
Thus does holy Job express his astonishment 
at the severity of the Divine Justice towards 
frail man, so inclined to evil, who drinks up 
iniquity like water. That He should have ex¬ 
ercised such severity towards the Angels,who are 
spiritual and perfect beings, is not a matter of 
so much surprise. But it is truly amazing that 
not an idle word, not a wasted moment, in man’s 
life shall escape the rigor of God’s justice. 
“ But I say unto you that every idle word that 
men shall speak, they shall render an account 
of it in the day of judgment.” I If we must 

* Job xiii. 24^28. t xiv. 1-4. % St. Matt. xii. 36. 


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render an account of idle words which harm no 
one, how severe will he the account exacted of 
us for impure words, immodest actions, sinful 
glances, blood-stained hands, for all the time 
spent in sinful deeds ? We could hardly credit 
the severity of this judgment, did not God Him¬ 
self affirm it. Oh ! sublime religion, how great 
are the purity and perfection thou teachest! 

What shame, then, and what confusion will 
overwhelm the sinner when all his impurities, 
all his excesses, all his iniquities, hidden in the 
secret recesses of his heart, will be exposed, in 
all their enormity, to the eyes of the world! 
Whose conscience is so clear that he does not 
blush, does not tremble, at this thought ? If 
men find it so difficult to make known their 
sins in the secrecy of confession; if many 
prefer to groan under the weight of their ini¬ 
quities rather than declare them to God’s min¬ 
ister, how will they bear to see them revealed 
before the universe ? In their shame and con¬ 
fusion “ they shall say to the mountains: Cover 
us ; and to the hills: Fall upon us.” * 

Consider also the terror of the sinner when 
this terrible sentence resounds in his ear: “ De¬ 
part from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire 
which was prepared for the devil and his an¬ 
gels.” f How will the reprobate bear these ter¬ 
rible words ? “ Seeing,” says holy Job, “ that 

we have heard scarcely a little drop of His 
word, who will be able to behold the thunder 
of His greatness ? ” J When this dread sen¬ 
tence will have gone forth, the earth will open 

* Osee x. 8. t St. Matt. xxv. 41. X Job xxvi. 14. 


90 


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and swallow in its fiery depths all those whose 
lives have been spent in the pursuit of sinful 
pleasures. St. John, in the Apocalypse, thus 
describes this awful moment: “I saw another 
Angel come down from heaven, having great 
power ; and the earth was enlightened with his 
glory. And he cried out with a strong voice, 
saying: Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, 
and is become the habitation of devils, and the 
hold of every unclean spirit, and the hold of 
every unclean and hateful bird.” * And the 
holy Evangelist adds: “And a mighty Angel 
took up a stone, as it were a great mill-stone, 
and cast it into the sea, saying: With such 
violence as this shall Babylon that great city be 
thrown down, and shall be found no more at 
all.” f In like manner shall the wicked, rep¬ 
resented by Babylon, be cast into the sea of 
darkness and confusion. What tongue can ex¬ 
press the torments of this eternal prison ? The 
body will burn with a raging fire which will 
never be extinguished ; the soul will be tortured 
by the gnawing, undying* worm of conscience. 
The darkness will resound with despairing cries, 
blasphemies, perpetual weeping and gnashing 
of teeth. The sinner, in his impotent rage, 
will tear his flesh and curse the inexorable jus¬ 
tice which condemns him to these torments. 
He will curse the day of his birth, crying out 
in the words of Job: “Let the day perish 
wherein I was born, and the night in which it 
was said: A man-child is conceived. Let that 
day be turned into darkness, let not God re- 

* Apoc. xviii. 1,2. + Apoc. xviii. 21. 


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91 


gard it from above, and let not the light shine 
upon it. Let darkness and the shadow of death 
cover it, let a mist overspread it, and let it be 
wrapped up in bitterness. Let a darksome 
whirlwind seize upon that night, let it not be 
counted in the days of the year, nor numbered 
in the months. Why did I not die in the 
womb, why did I not perish at once when 1 
came out of the womb ? Why was I placed 
upon the knees ? Why was I suckled at the 
breasts ? ” * Unhappy tongues which will hence¬ 
forth utter only blasphemies ! Unhappy ears 
to be for ever filled with sighs and lamenta¬ 
tions ! Unhappy eyes which will never gaze 
upon anything but misery ! Unhappy flesh 
consumed in eternal flames ! Who can tell 
the bitter remorse of the sinner who has spent 
his life in pursuit of new pleasures and new 
amusements ? Oh ! how fleeting were the joys 
that brought such a series of woes ! 0 sense¬ 

less, unhappy man ! What do your riches now 
avail you ? The seven years of abundance are 
past, and the years of famine are upon you. 
Your wealth has been consumed in the twink¬ 
ling of an eye, and no trace of it remains. 
Your glory has vanished; your lmppiness is 
swallowed up in an abyss of woe ! So extreme 
is your misery that a drop of water is denied 
you to allay the parching thirst with which you 
are consumed. Not only is your former pros¬ 
perity of no avail, but rather increases the tor¬ 
ture of your cruel sufferings. Thus shall the 
imprecation of Job be verified: “May worms 

* Job iii. 3-6 and 11, 12. 


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be liis sweetness,” * which St. Gregory thus ex¬ 
plains : “The remembrance of their past plea¬ 
sures will make their present sufferings more 
keen; and the contrast of their short-lived 
happiness with this endless misery will fill 
them with rage and despair.”! They will 
recognize too late the snares of the evil one, 
and will exclaim in the words of the Book 
of Wisdom : “ We have erred from the way of 
truth, and the light of justice hath not shone 
unto us, and the sun of understanding hath 
not risen upon us. We have wearied ourselves 
in the way of iniquity and destruction, and 
have walked through hard ways, but the way of 
the Lord we have not known.” £ The contem¬ 
plation of this terrible truth cannot but rouse 
us from our indifference and excite us to practise 
virtue. St. John Chrysostom frequently uses it 
as a means to exhort his hearers to virtue. “ If 
you would labor effectually,” he says, “ to make 
your soul the temple and the abode of the Di¬ 
vinity, never lose sight of the solemn and awful 
day when you are to appear before the tribunal 
of Christ to render an account of all your works. 
Represent to yourself the glory and majesty with 
which Christ will come to judge the living and 
the dead. Consider the irrevocable sentence 
which will then be pronounced upon mankind, 
and the terrible separation which will follow it. 
The just will enter into the possession of inef¬ 
fable joy and happiness; the wicked will be 
precipitated into exterior darkness, where there 

* Job xxiv. 20. t “ Moral.,” xv. 20 and xvi. 31. 

$ Wisdom v. 6, 7. 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


93 


will be perpetual weeping and gnashing of 
teeth. They Will he gathered like weeds, and 
cast into the fire, where they will remain for all 
eternity.” Ah ! then, before it is too late, let 
us save ourselves from this terrible misfortune 
by an humble and sincere confession of our 
sins—a favor that we will not receive on that 
day, for, as the Psalmist asks: “ Who shall 
confess to Thee, 0 Lord! in hell ?”* 

Another thought which should here impress 
us is that God has given us two eyes, two ears, 
two hands, and two feet, so that if we lose one 
of these members we still have one left. But 
He has given us only one soul, and if we lose 
that we have no other with which to enjoy 
eternal happiness. Our first care, therefore, 
should be to save our soul, which is to share 
with the body either eternal happiness or eter¬ 
nal woe. It will avail no man at this supreme 
tribunal to urge : “ I was dazzled by the glitter 
of wealth ; I was deceived by the promises of 
the world.” The inexorable Judge will answer : 
“I w r arned you against these. Did I not say : 
‘What doth it profit a man if he gain the 
whole world and suffer the loss of his own 
soul ’ ? ” f Nor can you plead that the devil 
tempted you. He will remind you that Eve 
was not excused when she urged that the ser¬ 
pent had tempted her. The vision of Jeremias 
teaches us what our Lord’s treatment of us will 
be. The prophet beheld first “ a rod watching,” 
and then “a caldron boiling.” This is a figure 
of God’s dealings with men. Eirst He warns 

* I’e, vi. 6. t St. Matt. xvi. 26. 


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them, and if they do not heed He punishes them ; 
for he who will not submit, to the correction of 
the rod will be cast into the caldron of fire. 
As you read of God’s punishments in Scripture, 
have you ever observed that no one pleads for 
those whom God condemns ? Father does not 
f plead for son, nor brother for brother, nor 
friend for friend. Yes, even God’s privileged 
servants, Hoe, Daniel, Job, would seek in vain 
to alter the sentence of your Judge. At the 
wedding-feast no voice is raised to intercede for 
him who is driven from the banquet. Ho one 
pleads for the slothful servant who buried the 
talent entrusted to him by his Master. Ho one 
makes intercession with the Bridegroom for the 
five foolish virgins who, after despising the plea¬ 
sures of the flesh and stifling in their hearts the 
fire of concupiscence, nay, after observing the 
great counsel of virginity, neglected the precept 
of humility and became inflated with pride on 
account of their virginity. You know the his¬ 
tory of the avaricious man of the Gospel, and 
how vainly he pleaded with Abraham for a drop 
of water to quench his burning thirst. 

Why, then, will we not help one another 
while we can ? Why will we not render glory 
to God before the sun of His justice has set for 
us ? Better let our tongues be parched with 
privation and fasting during the short space of 
this life, than by sinful indulgence expose our¬ 
selves to an eternal thirst. If we can hardly 
endure a few days of fever, how will we bear the 
parching thirst and burning torments of that 
fire which will never die ? If we are so appalled 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


95 


at a sentence of death pronounced by an earthly 
judge, which, at most, deprives us of but forty 
or fifty years of life, with what feelings will we 
hear that sentence which deprives us of an im¬ 
mortal life and condemns us to an eternity of 
misery ? With what horror we read of the tor¬ 
tures inflicted by executioners upon malefac¬ 
tors ; yet the most cruel are only shadows com¬ 
pared to the eternal torments of the life to 
come. The former end with this life ; but in 
hell the worm of conscience shall never die, the 
executioner shall never grow weary, the fire 
shall never be extinguished. What, then, will 
be the feelings of the wicked when suddenly 
transported from the midst of earthly happi¬ 
ness to this abyss of unspeakable miseries ? In 
vain will they denounce their blindness and be¬ 
wail the graces they refused. What can the 
j>ilot do when the ship is lost ? Of what use 
is the physician when the patient is dead ? 
Whither will we turn, on that terrible day, 
when the heavens and the earth, the sun, moon, 
and stars, when all creatures, will raise their 
voices against us to testify the evil we have 
committed ? But even were these silent, our 
own consciences would still accuse us. 

These reflections, dear Christian, we have 
gathered chiefly from the writings of St. John 
Chrysostom. Do they not prove the necessity 
of living with the fear of this supreme judg¬ 
ment constantly before us ? This fear was 
never absent from the heart of St. Ambrose, 
notwithstanding the vigilant fervor of his life. 
“ Woe is me/’ he exclaims in his commentary 


96 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


on St. Luke —“ woe is me if I weep not for my 
sins ! Woe is me, 0 Lord ! if I rise not in the 
night to confess and proclaim the glory of Thy 
name ! Woe is me if I do not dissipate the 
errors of my brethren and cause the light of 
truth to burn before their eyes, for the axe is 
now laid to the root of the tree.” Let him, 
therefore, who is in a state of grace bring forth 
fruits of justice and salvation. Let him who is 
in a state of sin bring forth fruits of penance, 
for the time approaches when the Lord will 
gather His fruit; and He will give eternal life 
to those who have labored courageously and 
profitably, and eternal death to those whose 
works are barren and useless. 


CHAPTER IX. 

THE NINTH MOTIVE FOR PRACTISING VIRTUE: 
THE THOUGHT OF HEAVEN, THE THIRD OF 
THE FOUR LAST THINGS. 

A MOTIVE no less powerful than those we 
have enumerated is the thought of Hea¬ 
ven. This is the reward of virtue, and 
in it we must distinguish two things :. 
the excellence and beauty of the abode pro¬ 
mised us, which is no other than the empyreal 
heavens, and the perfection and beauty of the.. 
Sovereign King Who reigns there with His elect. 

But though no tongue can fully express the 
splendor and riches of the heavenly kingdom, 



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we will endeavor to describe its beauty as well as 
our limited capacities will allow. Let us, there¬ 
fore, first consider the grand end for which it 
was created, which will enable us to conceive 
some idea of its magnificence. God created it 
to manifest His glory. Though “ the Lord has 
made all things for Himself/’ * yet this is par¬ 
ticularly true of Heaven, for it is there that His 
glory and power are most resplendent. We are 
told in Scripture that Assuerus, whose king¬ 
dom included one hundred and twenty-seven 
provinces, gave a great feast, which lasted one 
hundred and fourscore days, for the purpose of 
manifesting his splendor and power. So the 
Sovereign King of the universe is pleased to 
celebrate a magnificent feast, which continues, 
not for one hundred and fourscore days only, 
but for all eternity, to manifest the magni¬ 
ficence of His bounty. His power, His riches, 
His goodness. It is of this feast that the pro¬ 
phet speaks when he tells us: “The Lord of 
hosts shall make unto all peoples in this moun¬ 
tain a feast of fat things, a feast of wine, of fat 
things full of marrow, of wine purified from 
the lees.” f By this we are to understand that 
He will lavish upon His elect all the riches of 
the heavenly country and inebriate them with 
unutterable delights. Since this feast is pre¬ 
pared to manifest the greatness of God’s glory, 
which is infinite, what must be the magnifi¬ 
cence of this feast and the variety and splendor 
of the riches He displays to the eyes of His 
elect ? 


* Frov. xvi. 4. 


t Isaias xxv. 6. 


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We will better appreciate the grandeur of 
Heaven if we consider the infinite power and 
boundless riches of God Himself. His power is 
so great that with a single word He created this 
vast universe, and with a single word He could 
again reduce it to its original nothingness. A 
single expression of His will would suffice to 
create millions of worlds as beautiful as ours, 
and to destroy them in one instant. Moreover, 
His power is exercised without effort or exertion ; 
it costs Him no more to create the most sublime 
seraphim than to create the smallest insect. 
With Him to will is to accomplish. Therefore, 
if the power of the King who calls us to His 
kingdom be so great; if sucli be the glory of 
His holy Name ; if His desire to manifest and 
communicate this glory be so great, what must 
be the splendor of the abode where He wills to 
display in its fulness His divine magnificence ? 

Nothing can be wanting to its perfection, for 
its Author is the Source of all riches, all power, 
and all wisdom. What must be the beauty of 
that creation in the formation of which are 
combined the almighty power of tlie Father, 
the infinite wisdom of the Son, the inexhaustible 
goodness of the Holy Spirit ? 

Another consideration no less striking is that 
God has prepared this magnificence not only 
for His glory, but for the glory of His elect. 
“ Whosoever shall glorify Me, him will I 
glorify.”* “Thou hast subjected all things 
under his feet,” cries out the Psalmist; f and 
this we see verified in the most striking manner 

* 1 Kings ii. 30. . + Ps. viii. 8. 


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99 


among the Saints. Witness Josue, whose word 
arrests the sun in his course, thus showing us, 
as the Scripture says, “ God obeying the voice 
of man.” * Consider the prophetIsaias bidding 
King Ezechias choose whether he will have the 
sun go forward or backward in his course, for it 
was in the power of God’s servant to cause 
either, f Behold Elias closing the heavens, so 
that there was no rain but at his will and 
prayer. And not only during life hut even after 
death God continues to honor the mortal remains 
of His elect; for do we not read in Scripture that 
a dead body which was thrown by highwaymen 
into the tomb of Eliseus was brought to life by 
contact with the bones of the prophet ? J Did 
not God also honor in a marvellous manner the 
body of St. Clement ? On the day that this 
generous defender of the faith suffered, the sea 
was opened for a distance of three miles to allow 
the people to pass to the place of martyrdom to 
venerate the sacred remains. Is it not from a 
like motive that the Church has instituted a 
feast in honor of St. Peter’s chains, to show us 
how God wills to honor the bodies of His ser¬ 
vants, since we are to reverence their very chains? 
A still more marvellous proof of this was the 
power of healing the sick communicated to the 
shadow of the same Apostle. Oh ! admirable 
goodness ! God confers upon His Apostle a 
power which He Himself did not exercise. Of 
St. Peter alone is this related. But if God be 
pleased thus to honor the Saints on earth, though 
but a place of toil and labor, who can tell the 

* Joeue X. 14. +4 Kings xx. 9. % 4 Kings xiii. 21. 


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glory which He has reserved for them in His 
kingdom, where He wills to honor them, and 
through them to glorify Himself ? 

The Holy Scriptures teach us also with what 
liberality God rewards the services we render 
Him. We are told that when Abraham was 
about to sacrifice his son in obedience to God’s 
command, an angel of the Lord appeared to him 
and said : “By My own self have I sworn, saith 
the Lord: because thou hast done this thing, and 
hast not spared thy only-begotten son for My 
sake, I will bless thee, and I will multiply thy 
seed as the stars of heaven and as the sand that 
is by the sea-shore ; thy seed shall possess the 
gates of their enemies ; and in thy seed shall all 
the nations of the earth be blessed, because thou 
hast obeyed My voice.”* Was not this a reward 
befitting such a Master ? God is sovereign in 
His rewards as well as in His punishments. 
We read also that David, reflecting one night 
that while he dwelt in a house of cedar the Ark 
of the Covenant was kept in a poor tent, resolved 
to build it a more fitting habitation ; and the 
next day the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to 
promise in His name the following magnificent 
reward : “Because thou hast thought of build¬ 
ing Me a house, I swear to thee that I will 
build one for thee and thy posterity wdiich shall 
have no end, nor will I ever remove My mercies 
from it.”f We see how faithfully His promise 
was fulfilled, for the kingdom of Israel was 
governed by the princes of the house of David 
until the coming of the Messias, Who from that 

* Gen. xxii. 16, 17,18. 12Kings vii. 


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time lias reigned, and shall reign for all eternity. 
Heaven, then, is that superabundant reward 
which the faithful will receive for their good 
works. It is the manifestation of the Divine 
munificence, and of its greatness and glory we 
ought to have a lively appreciation. Another 
consideration which will help us to form some 
idea of the eternal beatitude promised us is the 
price which God, Who is so liberal, required for 
it. After we had forfeited Heaven by sin, God, 
Who is so rich and magnificent in His rewards, 
would restore it to us only at the price of the 
Blood of His Divine Son. The death of Christ, 
therefore, gave us life ; His sorrows won for us 
eternal joy ; and, that we might enter into the 
ranks of the celestial choirs, He bore the ignominy 
of crucifixion between two thieves. Who, then, 
can sufficiently value that happiness to obtain 
which God shed the last drop of His Blood, was 
bound with ignominious fetters, overwhelmed 
with outrages, bruised with blows, and nailed to 
a cross ? But besides all these God asks on our 
part all that can be required of man. He tells 
us that we must take up our cross and follow 
Him ; that if our right eye offend us we must 
pluck it out; that we must renounce father and 
mother, and every creature that is an obstacle to 
the Divine will. And after we have faithfully - 
complied with His commands the Sovereign Re- 
munerator still tells us that the enjoyment of 
Heaven is a gratuitous gift. “ I am Alpha and 
Omega, the Beginningand the End,” He says by 
the mouth of St. John ; * “to him that thirstetii 

*Apoc. xxi. 6. 


102 


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I will give of the fountain of the water of life 
freely.” Since God so liberally bestows Ilis 
gifts upon the sinner as well as the just in this 
life, what must be the inexhaustible riches re¬ 
served for the just in the life to come ? If He 
be so bountiful in His gratuitous gifts, how 
munificent will He be in llis rewards ? 

It may further help us to conceive a faint 
image of this eternal glory to consider the 
nobility and grandeur of the empyreal Heaven, 
our future country. It is called in Scripture 
the land of the living, in contrast, doubtless, to 
our sad country, which may truly be called the 
land of the dying. But if, in this land of death 
inhabited by mortal beings, so much beauty and 
perfection are found, what must be the splendor 
and magnificence of that heavenly country 
whose inhabitants will live for ever ? Cast your 
eyes over the world and behold the wonders 
and beauties with which it is filled. Observe 
the immensity of the blue vault of heaven ; the 
dazzling splendor of the sun ; the soft radiance 
of the moon and stars; the verdant beauty of 
the earth, with its treasures of precious metals 
and brilliant gems; the rich plumage of the 
birds ; the grandeur of the mountains ; the smil¬ 
ing beauty of the valleys; the limpid freshness 
of the streams ; the majesty of the great rivers ; 
the vastness of the sea, with all the wonders 
it contains ; the beauty of the deep lakes, those 
eyes of the earth, reflecting on their placid bosoms 
the starry splendor of the heavens ; the flower- 
enamelled fields, which seem a counterpart of 
the starlit firmament above them. If in this 


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103 


land of exile we behold so much beauty to en¬ 
rapture our soul, what must be the spectacle 
which awaits us in the haven of eternal rest ? 

Compare the inhabitants of the two countries, 
if you would have a still stronger proof of the 
superiority and infinite grandeur of the heavenly 
country. This earth is the land of death, Heaven 
is the land of immortality. Ours is the habita¬ 
tion of sinners, Heaven the habitation of the 
just. Ours is a place of penance, an arena of 
combat; Heaven is the land of triumph, the 
throne of the victor, “ the city of God.” 
‘‘Glorious things are said of thee, 0 City of 
God ! ” * Immeasurable is thy greatness, incom¬ 
parable the beauty of thy structure. Infinite 
thy price; most noble thy inhabitants, sublime 
thy employments ; most rich art thou in all 
good, and no evil can penetrate thy sacred walls. 
Great is thy Author, high the end for which 
thou wast created, and most noble the blessed 
citizens who dwell in thee. 

All that we have hitherto said relates only to 
the accidental glory of the Saints. They possess 
another glory incomparably superior, which 
theologians call the essential glory. This is the 
vision and possession of God Himself. For St. 
Augustine tells us that the reward of virtue 
will be God Himself, the Author of all virtue. 
Whom we will untiringly contemplate, love, and 
praise for all eternity.” f What reward could 
be greater than this ? It is not Heaven, or 
earth, or any created perfection, but God, the 
Source of all beauty and all perfection. The 

* Ps. Ixxxvi. 3. t “ De Civitate Dei,” xxii. 30. 


104 


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blessed inhabitants of Heaven will enjoy in Him 
all good, each according to the degree of glory 
he has merited. For since God is the Author 
of every good that we behold in creatures, it 
follows that He possesses in Himself all perfec¬ 
tion, all goodness, in an infinite degree. He 
possesses them, because otherwise He could not 
have bestowed them on creatures. He possesses 
them in an infinite degree, because as His Being 
is infinite, so also are His attributes and His 
perfections. God, then, will be our sovereign 
beatitude and the fulfilment of all our desires. 
In Him We will find the perfections of all 
creatures exalted and transfigured. In Him we 
will enjoy the beauty of all the seasons—the 
balmy freshness of spring, the rich beauty of 
summer, the luxurious abundance of autumn, 
and the calm repose of winter. In a word, all 
that can delight the senses and enrapture the 
soul will be ours in Heaven. “ In God,” says 
St. Bernard, “ our understandings will be filled 
with the plenitude of light; our wills with an 
abundance of peace ; and our memories with the 
joys of eternity. In this abode of all perfec¬ 
tion the wisdom of Solomon will appear but 
ignorance ; the beauty of Absalom deformity ; 
the strength of Samson weakness; the longest 
life of man a brief mortality; the wealth of 
kings but indigence.” Why, then, 0 man! 
will you seek straws in Egypt ? Why will you 
drink troubled waters from broken cisterns, 
when inexhaustible treasures, and the fountain 
of living water springing up into eternal life, 
await you in Heaven ? Why will you seek vain 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


105 


and sensual satisfactions from creatures, when 
unalterable happiness may be yours ? If your 
heart crave joy, raise it to the contemplation of 
that Good which contains in Itself all joys. If 
you are in love with this created life, consider 
the eternal life which awaits } 7 ou above. If the 
beauty of creatures attract you, live that you 
may one day possess the Source of all beauty, in 
Whom are life, and strength, and glory, and im¬ 
mortality, and the fulness of all our desires. If 
you find happiness in friendship and the society of 
generous hearts, consider the noble beings with 
whom you will be united by the tenderest ties 
for all eternity. If your ambition seek wealth 
and honors, make the treasures and the glory of 
heaven the end of all your efforts. Finally, if 
you desire freedom from all evil and rest from 
all labor, in Heaven alone can your desires be 
gratified. 

God in the Old Law ordained that children 
should be circumcised on the eighth day after 
birth, teaching us thereby that, on the day of the 
general resurrection which will follow the short 
space of this life, lie will cut off the miseries 
and sufferings of those who for love of Him 
have circumcised their hearts by cutting off all 
the sinful affections and pleasures of this 
world. Now, who can conceive a happier exis¬ 
tence than this, which is exempt from every 
sorrow and every infirmity? “In Heaven,” 
says St. Augustine, “we shall cease to feel the 
trials of want or sickness. Pride or eiivy will 
never enter there. The necessity of eating or 
drinking will there be unknown. The desire 


106 


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for honors will never disturb our calm repose. 
Death will no longer reach body or soul, united 
as they will be with the Source of all life, 
which they will enjoy throughout a blessed im¬ 
mortality.” * Consider, moreover, the glory 
and happiness of living in the company of the 
angels, contemplating the beauty of these sub¬ 
lime spirits ; admiring the resplendent virtue 
of the Saints, the rewards with which the obe¬ 
dience of the patriarchs and the hope of the 
prophets have been crowned ; the brilliant dia¬ 
dems of the martyrs, dyed with their own 
blood, and the dazzling whiteness of the robes 
with which the virgins are adorned. But 
what tongue can describe the beauty and 
the majesty of the Sovereign Monarch who 
reigns in tlieir midst? “If by daily endur¬ 
ing fresh torments,” says St. Augustine, f 
“and even suffering for a time the pains of 
hell, we were permitted for one day to con¬ 
template this King in all His glory and 
enjoy the society of His elect, surely it would 
be a happiness cheaply purchased.” What, 
then, can we say of the happiness of pos¬ 
sessing these joys for all eternity ? Conceive, 
if you can, the ravishing harmony of the 
celestial voices chanting the words heard by 
St. John: “Benediction, and glory, and wis¬ 
dom, and thanksgiving, and honor, and pow¬ 
er, and strength to our God for ever and 
ever. Amen.” \ If the harmony of these 
voices will cause us such happiness, how 
we will rejoice at the unity that w T e will 

* “ SoHloq.,” xxxv. t “ Manual.,” xv. $ Apoc. vii. 12. 


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107 


behold between soul and body! And this 
concord will be still more marked between an¬ 
gels and men, -whilst between God and men the 
union will be so close that we can form no ade¬ 
quate idea of it. What glory, then, will it be 
. for the creature to find himself seated at the 
' banquet of the King of kings, partaking of His 
table—that is, of His honor and His glory ! 
Oh ! enduring peace of heaven; oh ! unalter¬ 
able joy ; oh ! entrancing harmonies; oh ! tor¬ 
rents of celestial delight, why are ye not ever 
present to the minds of those who labor and 
combat on earth ? 

If such be the happiness which faith tells us 
is the reward of the just, how great is your 
blindness if you are not moved thereby to 
practise virtue! 


CHAPTER X. 

THE TENTH MOTIVE FOR PRACTISING VIRTUE : 
THE THOUGHT OF HELL, THE FOURTH OF 
THE FOUR LAST THINGS. 

milE least part of the happiness we have en- 
I deavored to portray should be sufficient 
X to inflame our hearts with a love of vir¬ 
tue. Nevertheless w r e shall also consider 
the terrible alternative of misery reserved for 
the reprobate. The sinner cannot comfort 
himself by saying: “ After all, the only re¬ 
sult of my depraved life will be that I shall 



108 


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never see God. Farther than this I shall have 
neither reward nor punishment.” Oh ! no ; 
we are all destined to one or the other— 
either to reign eternally with God in Heaven or 
to burn for ever with the devils in hell. 

This happiness and misery, either of which 
must inevitably be our portion, are represented 
by the two baskets of figs which Jeremias saw 
in the vision, one containing “ very good figs, 
like the figs of the first season, and the other 
basket very bad figs, which could not be eat¬ 
en.” * God willed thus to represent to His 
prophet the two classes of souls, one of which 
forms the object of His mercy, and the other 
of His justice. The happiness of the first is 
unequalled, and the misery of the second is also 
incomparable ; for the just enjoy the perpetual 
vision of God, which is the greatest of all bless¬ 
ings, while the wicked are for ever deprived of 
this vision, and thereby suffer the greatest of all 
evils. 

If men who sin so rashly would weigh this 
truth they would know the terrible burden that 
they lay upon themselves. Those who earn 
their living by carrying burdens first estimate 
the weight they are to bear, that they may 
know whether it is beyond their strength. 
Why, then, 0 rash man ! will you for a passing 
pleasure so lightly assume the terrible burden 
of sin without considering your strength to 
bear it ? Will you not reflect on the heavy 
weight you thus condemn yourself to bear for 
all eternity ? To help you do this I shall offer 

* Jeremias xxiv. 1, 2. 


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109 


you a few considerations which will enable you 
to realize in some measure the greatness of the 
punishment reserved for sin. 

Let us first reflect on the almighty power of 
God, Whose justice will chastise the sinner. 
God’s greatness is apparent in all His works. 
He is God, not only in Heaven, earth, and sea, 
but in hell and in every other place. He is 
God in His wrath and in the justice with which 
Pie avenges the outrages offered to His divine 
majesty. Therefore, He Himself exclaims by 
the mouth of His prophet: “ Will you not, 
then, fear Me, and will you not repent at My 
presence ? I have set the sand a bound for the 
sea, an everlasting ordinance, which it shall not 
pass over; and the waves thereof shall toss 
themselves, and shall not prevail; they shall 
swell, and shall not pass over it.” * In other 
words, will you not fear the almighty power of 
that Arm which controls the elements, which 
sustains the universe, and which no power can 
resist ? If the works of His mercy excite us to 
love and praise Him, we have no less reason to 
fear the greatness of His justice. Hence the 
prophet Jeremias, though innocent, and even 
sanctified in his mother’s womb, was deeply 
penetrated with this salutary fear. “Who,”he 
cries out, “shall not fear Thee, 0 King of na¬ 
tions ?”f And again : “I sat alone, because 
Thou hast filled me with threats.” j; Doubtless 
the prophet knew that these threats were not 
uttered against him ; yet they filled him with 
terror. The pillars of heaven, we are told, 

* Jerem. v. 22. t z. 7. $ zv. 17. 


110 


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tremble before the majesty of God, and the 
powers and principalities prostrate themselves 
in awe before His throne. If these pure spirits, 
confirmed in bliss, and in no manner doubting 
of their happiness, but only through admira¬ 
tion of the Divine Perfections, tremble before 
His power, what should be the terror of the sin¬ 
ner who has made himself the object of His 
wrath ? It is the power of our Sovereign Judge 
which is most appalling in the punishment of 
sin. Speaking of God’s punishments, St. John 
says : “ Babylon’s plagues shall come in one 
day, death, and mourning, and famine, and she 
shall be burnt with fire, because God is strong, 
Who shall judge her.”* The great Apostle, 
filled with awe of this power, exclaims : “It. is 
a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the liv¬ 
ing God.” f We have not such reason to fear 
the hands of men, from whom we can escape, 
and who at least cannot thrust the soul into 
hell. Hence our Saviour tells His disciples : 
“And fear ye not them that kill the body and 
are not able to kill the soul. But rather fear 
Him who can destroy both soul and body into 
hell.” I The author of Ecclesiasticus, impressed 
with the might of this power, thus warns us : 
“Unless we do penance we shall fall into the 
hands of the Lord, and not into the hands of 
men.” § This united testimony proves, as we 
have said, that as God is great in His mercy and 
rewards, so will He be great in His justice and 
punishments. 


* Apoc. xviii. 8. 

X St. Matt. x. 28. 


+ Hel\ x. 31. 

§ Ecclus. ii. 22. 


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Ill 


This truth is still more apparent in the ter¬ 
rible chastisements inflicted by God which are 
related in Scripture. Witness the punishment 
of Dathan and Abiron, who, with all their ac¬ 
complices, were swallowed alive into the earth 
and thrust into the depths of hell for rebelling 
against their superiors.* Who can read un¬ 
moved the threats against transgressors recorded 
in Deuteronomy ? Among others equally ter¬ 
rible, here is one which the sacred writer puts 
in the mouth of God: “ Thou shalt serve thy 
enemy, whom the Lord will send upon thee, in 
hunger, and thirst, and nakedness, and in want 
of all things ; and he shall put an iron yoke 
upon thy neck till he consume thee. And thou 
shalt eat the fruit of thy womb, and the flesh of 
thy sons and of thy daughters, which the Lord 
thy God shall give thee, in the distress and ex¬ 
tremity wherewith thy enemy shall oppress 
thee.” f We can scarcely imagine punishments 
more dreadful than these ; yet they, as well as 
all the sufferings of this life, are but a shadow 
when compared to the terrible torments of the life 
to come. If His justice be so rigorous in this 
world, though always tempered by His love, 
what will it be in eternity when exercised with¬ 
out mercy ? For the sinner who has despised 
God’s mercies in this life will feel only the ef¬ 
fects of His justice in the life to come. 

Another consideration which may help us to 
appreciate the rigor of these sufferings is the 
greatness of the mercy which the sinner has de¬ 
spised. What is there more astonishing than 

* Num. xii. t Deuter. xxviii. 48, 53. 


112 


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that mercy which caused God to clothe Him¬ 
self in human flesh, to endure innumerable suf¬ 
ferings and humiliations, to take upon Himself 
the transgressions of the world, and for these 
transgressions to expire as a malefactor on an 
infamous gibbet ? God is infinite in all His at¬ 
tributes ; and, therefore, the justice with which 
He will punish man will equal the boundless 
mercy with which He redeemed him. 

When God first came upon earth there was 
nothing in us to excite His mercy ; but at His 
second coming our every sin will be an addi¬ 
tional reason for Him to exercise His justice. 
Judge, therefore, how terrible it will be. “ At 
His second coming,” says St. Bernard, “God 
will be as inflexible and as rigorous in punish¬ 
ing as at His first coming He was patient and 
merciful in forgiving. There is now no sinner 
living who is cut oft from His reconciliation ; 
but in the day of His justice none will be re¬ 
ceived.” These words of St. Bernard are con¬ 
firmed by the royal prophet, who tells us : “ Our 
God is the God of salvation ; and of the Lord, of 
the Lord are the issues from death. But God 
shall break the heads of His enemies; the hairy 
crown of them that walk on in their sins.” * 
Behold, then, how great is God’s mercy to 
those who are converted to Him, and how great 
is the rigor with which He punishes obdurate 
sinners. 

The same truth is manifested by God’s pa¬ 
tience with the world, and with the vices and 
disorders of every sinner in particular. How 

* Ps. lxvii. 21, 22. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


113 


many there are who, from the age of reason to 
the end of their lives, continually offend Him 
and despise His law, regardless of His promises, 
His benefits, His warnings, or His menaces ! 
Yet God does not cut them off, but continues 
to bear with them, unceasingly exhorting them 
to repentance. But when the term of His pa¬ 
tience will come, and His wrath, which has been 
accumulating in the bosom of His justice, will 
burst its bounds, with what terrible violence it 
will be poured out upon them! “ Knowest thou 
not,” says the Apostle, “ that the benignity of 
God leadeth thee to penance ? But according to 
thy hardness and impenitent heart, thou trea- 
surest up to thyself wrath against the day of 
wrath and revelation of the just judgment of 
God, Who will render to every man according to 
his works.” * 

The meaning of these words is not difficult. 
A treasure of wrath is a terrible figure. Just 
as the miser adds coin to coin, riches to riches, 
so the wrath of God is daily and even hourly 
increased by the transgressions of the sinner. 
Were a man to let no day or hour pass without 
adding to his material fortune, consider what 
an immense amount he would have accumulated 
at the end of fifty or sixty years. Alas ! then, 
for thee, unhappy sinner, for there is hardly an 
hour in which thou dost not add to the trea¬ 
sures of God’s wrath which thy sins are accumu¬ 
lating against thee. Thy immodest glances, 
the evil desires of thy corrupt heart, and thy 
scandalous words and blasphemies would alone 

♦ Rom. ii. 4, 5, 6. 


114 


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suffice to fill a world. If to these are added the 
many other grievous crimes of which thou hast 
been guilty, consider the treasure of vengeance 
and wrath which a long life of sin will heap up 
against thee. 

If to the considerations already given we add 
a brief reflection on the gratitude of men, it will 
help us realize, in some measure, the severity 
of the punishment inflicted upon the sinner. 
Contemplate God’s goodness to men ; the bene¬ 
fits He has heaped upon them ; the means He 
has given them to practise virtue ; the iniquities 
He has forgiven them ; the evils from which He 
has delivered them. Consider, moreover, the 
ingratitude of men for all these blessings ; their 
many treasons and rebellions against God ; their 
contempt of His laws, which they trample under 
foot for a paltry interest, and often through 
malice or mere caprice. What, then, can they 
expect who have thus outraged God’s mercy, 
who, in the words of the Apostle, have “ trod¬ 
den under foot the Son of God, and have es¬ 
teemed the blood of the testament unclean by 
which they were sanctified” ?* God is a just 
Judge, and their punishment will be propor¬ 
tioned to their crimes. Kemember the majesty 
of Him Who has been offended, and consider 
the sufferings of that body and soul which must 
offer satisfaction for such an outrage. If the 
Blood of Christ were needed to make reparation 
for man’s offences, the dignity of the Victim 
supplying what was lacking in the severity of 
His sufferings, how terrible will be those suffer- 

* Heb. x. 29. 


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ings which sinners must endure, and which 
must supply by their rigor what is wanting in 
the merit of the victim ! 

If the thought of the Judge impress us so 
deeply, what ought to be our feelings when we 
consider who it is that will be the executioner ! 
The executioner will be the devil. What, then, 
may we not expect from the malice of such an 
enemy ? If we would form some idea of his 
cruelty, consider his treatment of the holy man 
Job, whom God delivered into his hands. He 
destroyed his flocks ; laid waste his lands ; over¬ 
threw his houses ; carried off his children by 
death ; made his body a mass of ulcers, and left 
him no other refuge but a dunghill and a pot¬ 
sherd to scrape his sores. In addition to his 
suffering he left him a scolding wife and cruel 
friends, who reviled him with words which tor¬ 
tured him. more keenly than the worms which 
preyed upon his flesh. Thus was Job afflicted 
by Satan, but it is impossible to describe in 
human language his treatment of our Blessed 
Saviour during the night in which He was the 
Victim of the powers of darkness. 

Seeing, then, how cruel are the devil and his 
angels, will you not tremble with horror at the 
thought of being delivered into their hands ? 
They will have power to execute upon you 
the most terrible inventions of their malice, not 
for a day, or a night, or a year only, but for all 
eternity! Read the appalling picture of these 
evil spirits given by St. John : “I saw a star,” 
says the Apostle, “fall from heaven upon the 
earth, and there was given to him the key of 


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tlie bottomless pit. And he opened the bottom¬ 
less pit; and the smoke of the pit arose as the 
smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and 
the air were darkened with the smoke of the 
pit. And from the smoke of the pit there came 
out locusts upon the earth. And power was 
given to them, as the scorpions of the earth, 
have power. And it was commanded them 
that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, 
nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the 
men who have not the seal of God on their fore¬ 
heads. And it was given to them that they 
should not kill them, but that they should tor¬ 
ment them five months : and their torment was 
as the torment of a scorpion when he striketh a 
man. And in those days men shall seek death, 
and shall not find it; and they shall desire to 
die, and death shall fly from them. And the 
shapes of the locusts were like unto horses pre¬ 
pared unto battle ; and on their heads were as it 
were crowns like gold; and their faces were as 
the faces of men. And they had hair as the 
hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth 
of lions ; and they had breast-plates as breast¬ 
plates of iron, and the noise of their wings was 
as the sound of chariots of many horses running 
to battle. And they had tails like to scorpions, 
and there were stings in their tails.”* Does 
not the Holy Ghost design to teach us by these 
terrible figures the fearful effects of God’s jus¬ 
tice, the awful instruments of His wrath, and 
the appalling tortures of the reprobate ? Does 
He not wish that the fear of these evils should 

* Apoc. ix. 1-10. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 117 

save us from the lot of the sinner ? What is 
that star which fell from heaven, and received 
the key of the bottomless pit, but that bright 
angel who was precipitated from Heaven to reign 
for ever in hell ? Do not the locusts, so well 
equipped for battle, represent the ministers of 
Satan ? And are not the green things which 
they were commanded to spare, the just who 
flourish under the dew of God’s grace and 
bring forth fruits of eternal life ? Who are 
they who have not the seal of God upon their 
foreheads but men who have not His Spirit, 
which is the mark and seal of His faithful ser¬ 
vants ? It is against these unhappy souls that 
the ministers of God’s vengeance will work. 
Yes, they will be tormented in this life and in 
the next by the devils whom they willed to 
serve, just as the Egyptians were tormented by 
the various living creatures which they had 
adored. What terrible pictures are given us in 
Scripture of the monsters of this eternal abyss ! 
What can be conceived more horrible than the 
behemoth, “that setteth up his tail like a cedar, 
whose bones are like pipes of brass, who drink- 
eth up rivers and devoureth mountains ” ? * 

The considerations already given are certainly 
sufficient to inspire us with a horror for sin ; but 
to strengthen this salutary fear let us reflect 
upon the duration of these terrible torments. 
Try to realize what a comfort it would be to the 
damned if at the end of millions of years they 
could look forward to any term or alleviation of 
their sufferings. But no ; their sufferings shall 

♦Job xl. 


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be eternal; they shall continue as long as God 
shall be God. If one of these unhappy souls, 
says a Doctor of the Church, were to shed 
one tear every thousand years, and if these tears 
accumulated to such a flood as to inundate the 
world, he would still be as far as ever from the 
end of his sufferings. Eternity would only be 
at its beginning. Is there anything worthy of 
our fears but this terrible fate ? Truly, were 
the pain of hell no more than the prick of a pin, 
yet if it must continue for ever there is no suf¬ 
fering in this world which man should not en¬ 
dure to avoid it. 

Oh! that this eternity, this terrible for ever, 
were deeply graven in our hearts ! We are told 
that a worldly man, giving himself to serious 
reflection upon eternity, made use of this simple 
reasoning : There is no sensible man who would 
accept the empire of the world at the expense 
of thirty or forty years spent upon a bed, even 
were it a bed of roses. How great, then, is the 
folly of him who for much smaller interests in¬ 
curs the risk of being condemned to lie upon a bed 
of fire for all eternity! This thought wrought 
such a change in his life that he became a great 
saint and most worthy prelate of the Church. 
What consideration will be given to this by the 
soft and effeminate, who complain so much if 
the buzzing of a mosquito disturbs their night’s 
repose ? What will they say when they will 
find themselves stretched upon a bed of fire, 
surrounded by sulphurous flames, not for one 
short summer night, but for all eternity ? To 
such the Prophet addresses himself when he 


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says : “Which of you can dwell with devouring 
fire ? Which of you shall dwell with everlast¬ 
ing burnings ? ” * 0 senseless man ! will you 

continue to allow yourself to be deceived by the 
arch-enemy of your soul? How can you be so 
diligent in providing for your temporal welfare, 
and yet be so careless of your eternal interests? 

If you were penetrated with these reflections, 
what obstacle could turn you from the practice 
of virtue ? Difficult as it may appear, is there 
any sacrifice you would refuse to escape these 
eternal torments ? Were God to allow a man 
to choose whether he would be tormented while 
on eartli with a gout or toothache which would 
never allow him a moment’s repose, or embrace 
the life of a Carthusian or a Carmelite, do you 
think there is any one who w r ould not, purely 
from a motive of self-love, choose the state of a 
religious rather than endure this continual suf¬ 
fering ? Yet there is no pain in this life which 
can be compared to the pains of hell, either in in¬ 
tensity or in duration. Why, then, will we not 
accept the labor God asks of us, which is so 
much less than the austerities of a Carthusian or 
a Carmelite ? Why will, we refuse the restraint 
of Ilis law, which will save us from such suffer¬ 
ing ? What will add most keenly to the suffer¬ 
ings of the damned will be the knowledge that 
by a short penance and self-denial upon earth, 
they might have averted these terrible pains 
which they must fruitlessly endure for all 
eternity. We see a figure of this awful truth 
in the furnace which Nabuchodonosor caused to 

* Isaias xxxiii. 14. 


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be built in Babylon,* the flames of which mount¬ 
ed forty-nine cubits, but could never reach 
fifty, the number of the year of jubilee, or gen¬ 
eral pardon. In like manner the eternal flame 
of this Babylon, though it burns so fiercely, fill¬ 
ing its unhappy victims with pain and anguish, 
will never reach the point of mercy, will never 
obtain for them the grace of pardon of the 
heavenly jubilee. Oh ! unprofitable pains ! 
Oh ! fruitless tears ! Oh ! rigorous and hope¬ 
less penance! If borne in this life, the smallest 
portion of them might have saved the sinner 
from everlasting misery. Mindful of all these, 
send forth your tears and sighs, remembering 
the prophet who “lamented and howled, who 
went stripped and naked, making a wailing like 
the dragons, and a mourning like the ostriches, 
because her wound was desperate.” f 

If men were ignorant of these truths, if 
they had not received them as infallible, tlieir 
negligence and indifference would not be so as¬ 
tonishing. But have we not reason to wonder, 
since men have received them on the word of 
Him who has said: “ Heaven and earth shall 
pass away, but My word shall not pass away ” ? J 
Yet behold in what forgetfulness of their duty 
and their God they continue to live. 

Tell me, blind soul, what pleasure you find 
in the riches and honors of this world which is 
a compensation for the eternal fire of hell. 
“If you possessed the wisdom of Solomon,” 
says St. Jerome, “the beauty of Absalom, the 
strength of Samson, the longevity of Henoch, 

* Dan. iii. t Micheas i. 8, 9. \ St. Luke xxi. 33. 


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the riches of Croesus, the power of Caesar, what 
will all these avail you at death, if your body 
becomes the prey of worms, and your soul, like 
the rich glutton’s, the sport of demons for all 
eternity ? ” 


CHAPTER XI. 

THE ELEVENTH MOTIVE FOR PRACTISING VIR¬ 
TUE I THE INESTIMABLE ADVANTAGES PRO¬ 
MISED IT EVEN IN THIS LIFE. 

W ITH such powerful reasons for embracing 
virtue, I know not what excuse men 
can make for refusing to practise it. 
That pagans, who are ignorant of its 
value, do not prize it is not astonishing. A pea¬ 
sant digging in the earth and finding a precious 
stone will probably throw it away, because he 
does not know its worth. But that Christians, 
who have been taught the value and beauty of 
virtue, continue to live in forgetfulness of God 
and wedded to the things of this world, as if 
there were no such thing as death or judgment, 
or heaven or hell, is a continual subject of sor¬ 
rowful wonder. Whence this blindness, whence 
this folly ? 

It has several causes, the principal of which 
is the mistaken opinion of the generality of men, 
who believe that no advantages are to be reaped 
from virtue in this life, that its rewards are re¬ 
served for the life to come. Men are so power- 



122 


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fully moved by self-interest, and present ob¬ 
jects make sucb an impression upon them, that 
they think very little of future rewards and 
seek only their immediate satisfaction. The 
same was true even in the days of the prophets; 
for when Ezecliiel made any promise or uttered 
any threat in the name of the Lord, people 
laughed at him and said to one another: “ The 
vision that this man seeth is for many days to 
come; and this man prophesieth of times afar 
off.”* In like manner did they ridicule the 
prophet Isaias : “ Command, command again, 
command, command again; expect, expect again, 
expect, expect again.” f Solomon teaches us the 
same when he says : “ Because sentence is not 
speedily pronounced against the evil, the chil¬ 
dren of men commit evils without any fear. * . . 
And because all things equally happen to the 
just and the wicked, to him that offereth vic¬ 
tims and to him that despiseth sacrifices, the 
hearts of the children of men are filled with 
evil, and with contempt while they live, and 
afterwards he shall be brought down to hell.” \ 
Yes, because the wicked seem to prosper in 
the world they conclude that they are safe, 
and that the labor of virtue is all in vain. 
This they openly confess by the mouth of the 
prophet Malachias, saying : “ He laboreth in 
vain that serveth God ; and what profit is it 
that we have kept His ordinances, and that we 
have walked sorrowful before the Lord of 
hosts ? Wherefore now we call the proud 

* Ezech. xii. 27. + Isaias xxviii. 10. 

+ Eccles. viii. 11 and ix. 2, 3. 


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people happy, for they that work wickedness 
are built up, and they have tempted God and 
are preserved.” * This is the language of the 
reprobate, and is the most powerful motive 
which impels them to continue in sin; for, in the 
words of St. Ambrose, “ they find it too difficult 
to buy hopes at the cost of dangers, to sacrifice 
present pleasures to future blessings.” ' To de- * 
stroy this serious error I know nothing better 
than the touching words of our Saviour weep¬ 
ing over Jerusalem: “If thou also hadst known, 
and that in this thy day, the things that are for 
thy peace; but now they are hidden from thy 
eyes.” f Our Divine Lord considered the ad¬ 
vantages which this people had received from 
Him; the happiness He had reserved for them; 
and the ingratitude with which they rejected 
Him when He came to them in meekness and 
humility. For this they were to lose not only 
the treasures and graces of His coming, but 
even their temporal power and freedom. This 
it was which caused Him to shed such bitter 
tears and to foretell the unhappy fate that was 
in store for His people. His words apply with 
great force to our present subject. Consider 
the inestimable riches, the abundant graces, 
which accompany virtue ; yet it is a stran¬ 
ger, a wanderer on earth. Men seem to be 
blind to these divine blessings. Have we not, 
therefore, reason to weep and to cry out: 0 
man , if thou also hadst known ? If thou hadst 
known the peace, the light, the strength, the 
sweetness, and the riches of virtue, thou wouldst 

* Malach. iii. 14, 15. t St. Luke xix. 43. 


i2 i 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


liave opened thy heart to it, thou wouldst have 
spared no sacrifice to win it. But these bless¬ 
ings are hidden from worldlings, who regard 
only the humble exterior of virtue, and, having 
never experienced its unutterable sweetness, 
they conclude that it contains nothing but what 
is sad and repulsive. They know not that 
Christian philosophy is like its Divine Founder, 
who, though exteriorly the humblest of men, 
was nevertheless God and sovereign Lord of 
all things. Hence the Apostle tells the faithful 
that they are dead to the world, that “their 
life is hid with Christ in God,” * Just as the 
glory of Christ was hidden by the veil of His 
humanity, so should the glory of His faithful 
followers be concealed in this world. We read 
that the ancients made certain images, called 
Silenes, which were rough and coarse exteriorly, 
but most curiously and ingeniously wrought 
within. The ignorant stopped at the exterior 
and saw nothing to prize, but those who un¬ 
derstood their construction looked within and 
were captivated by the beauty they there beheld. 
Such have been the lives of the Prophets, the 
Apostles, and all true Christians, for such was 
the life of their Divine Model. 

If you still tell me that the path of virtue 
is rugged, that its duties are difficult, I beg 
you to consider the abundant and powerful 
aids which God gives you. Such are the in¬ 
fused virtues, interior graces, the gifts of the 
Holy Ghost, the sacraments of the New Law, 
with other divine favors, which are to us like 

* Coloss. iii. 3 


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125 


sails to a ship, or wings to a bird, to help us on 
our voyage to eternity. Reflect upon the very 
name and nature of virtue. It is a noble habit, 
which, like all other habits, ought to make us 
act with facility and pleasure. Remember also 
that Christ has promised His followers not only 
the riches of glory, but those of grace: the 
former for the life to come, the latter for this 
present life. “The Lord,” says the prophet, 
“ will give grace and glory.” * The treasures of 
grace are for this life, and the riches of glory are 
for the next. Consider further with what care 
Cod provides for the necessities of all creatures. 
How generously He supplies even the smallest 
creatures with all that is necessary to the end 
for which they were created ! Is it not unrea¬ 
sonable, then, to think that He will disregard 
the necessities of man, the most important of 
which is virtue, and leave him a prey to his 
weak will, his darkened understanding, and his 
corrupt nature ? The world and the prince of 
darkness are most assiduous in procuring vain 
pleasures and joys for those who serve them. 
Canyon doubt, then, that God will grant refresh¬ 
ment, light, and peace to His faithful in the 
midst of the labors performed for Him ? What 
did God wish to teach us by the words of the 
prophet ? “You shall return, and shall see the 
difference between the just and the wicked, and 
between him that serveth God and him that 
serveth Him not.”f Was it not that if we 
would be converted we would see and know, 
even in this life, the rewards of the good, “the 

* Ps. lxxxiii. 12. t Malach. iii. 18. 


12 G 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


difference between the just and the wicked”? 
We would behold the contrast between the 
true riches of the just and the poverty of the 
wicked ; between the joy of the former and the 
misery of the latter; between the peace of the 
one and the conflicts of the other ; between the 
light with which the good are surrounded, and 
the darkness by which the wicked are enveloped. 
Experience will show yon the real value of 
virtue and how far it exceeds your former anti¬ 
cipations. Upon another occasion God replied 
in like manner to men who, having been deceived 
by appearances, ridiculed the virtuous, saying : 
“ Let the Lord be glorified, and we shall see in 
your joy.” * After depicting the torments which 
God’s justice prepares for the wicked, Isaias 
thus describes the happiness reserved for the 
just: “Rejoice with Jerusalem, and bo glad 
with her, all ye that love her. Rejoice for joy 
with her, all you that mourn for her. That you 
may suck, and be filled with the breasts of her 
consolation ; that you may milk out, and flow 
with delights, from the abundance of her glory. 
For thus saith the Lord : Behold I will bring 
upon her as it were a river of peace, and as an 
overflowing torrent, the glory of the gentiles, 
wdiich you shall suck; you shall be carried at 
the breasts, and upon the knees they shall caress 
you. As one whom the mother caresseth, so 
will I comfort you, and you shall be comforted 
in Jerusalem. And you shall see, and your 
heart shall rejoice, and your bones shall flourish 
like an herb, and the hand of the Lord shall be 

* Isaias Ixvi. 5. 


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12 7 


known to His servants.” * Yes, “ the hand of 
tiie Lord shall be known to His servants”; for 
as men by the beauties and wonders of the 
universe judge of the infinite beauty and om¬ 
nipotence of God, so shall the just recognize the 
infinite love and goodness of God in the incom¬ 
parable joys and favors which He will bestow 
upon them. 

As a farther proof of what has been said 1 
will add the remarkable words uttered by our 
Saviour when St. Peter asked what reward they 
would have for leaving all things for love of 
Him : {< Amen I say unto you, there is no man 
who hath left house, or brethren, or sisters, or 
father, or mother, or children, or lands for my 
sake and for the Gospel, who shall not receive 
a hundred times as much now in this time, and 
in the world to come life everlasting 99 f Mark 
how explicitly the rewards of this life and the 
next are distinguished. Nor can we doubt 
these words, for they are those of Him who has 
said: “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but 
My words shall not pass away.” 

And what is this hundred-fold which the just 
receive in this life ? Honors, riches, titles, and 
dignities are not their portion ; the greater 
number of the just lead hidden, obscure lives, 
forgotten by the world and overwhelmed with 
infirmities. How, then, does God fulfil His 
infallible promise to give them a hundred-fold 
even in this life ? Ah ! it is not with the per¬ 
ishable goods of this world that He will reward 
His servants. Joy and peace and happiness are 

* Iaaias Ixvi. 10-15. t St. Mark x. 20, 30. 


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the spiritual treasures with which the liberal¬ 
ity of our God enriches those who love Him. 
These are the blessings which the world does not 
know, and which the wealth of the world can 
never buy. And how fitting this is ; for as man 
does not live by bread alone, so the craving of 
his soul cannot be satisfied by anything short of 
spiritual blessings. Study the lives of the 
Saints, and you will see that they have received 
the hundred-fold promised in this life. In ex¬ 
change for the false riches which they forsook, 
they received true riches which they can bear 
with them to eternity. For the turmoil and 
conflicts of the world they received that “ peace 
which surpasseth all understanding.” Their 
tears, their fasting, and their prayers brought 
them more joy and consolation than they could 
ever hope to obtain from the fleeting pleasures 
of this life. If, then, you have forsaken an 
earthly father for love of God, your Heavenly 
Father will receive you as His child, and make 
you His heir to an everlasting inheritance. If 
you have despised earthly pleasures for love of 
Him, He will fill you with the incomparable 
sweetness of heavenly consolations. The eyes of 
your soul will be opened, and you will love and 
cherish what formerly affrighted you. What 
was formerly bitter will become sweet, and, en¬ 
lightened by grace, you will see the emptiness 
of worldly joys, and you will learn to relish the 
delights of God’s love. Thus does He manifest 
His merciful goodness ; thus does He fulfil His 
promise to us. 

The annals of the Cistercian Order mention an 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


129 


incident which, in connection with our subject, 
is worth recording : Arnulph, a man of promi¬ 
nence in Flanders, who was strongly wedded to 
the things of this world, was converted by the 
preaching of St. Bernard. He was so touched 
by grace that he became a Cistercian monk. 
On a certain occasion he fell dangerously sick 
and remained unconscious for some time. The 
monks, believing him to be dying, administered 
Extreme Unction. But soon after his con¬ 
sciousness returned, and he broke out into trans¬ 
ports of praise, frequently repeating : “ How 
true are Thy words, 0 merciful Jesus !” To 
the questions of his brethren he continued to 
repeat: “How true are Thy words, O merciful 
Jesus ! ” Some of them remarked that pain had 
made him delirious. “ No, my brethren/’ he ex¬ 
claimed ; “I am conscious, I am in full pos¬ 
session of my senses, and again I assure you that 
all the words Jesus has uttered are true.” “ But 
we do not doubt this,” said the monks ; “why 
do you repeat it so often ? ” “ God tells us in 

the Gospel,” he answered, “ that he who forsakes 
earthly affections for love of Him shall receive 
a hundred-fold in this world, and in the world 
to come life everlasting, and I have already ex¬ 
perienced the truth of His promise. Great as 
my present pains are, I would not exchange 
them, with the anticipation of heavenly sweet¬ 
ness which they have procured me, for a hun¬ 
dred or a thousand-fold of the pleasures I for¬ 
sook in the world. If a guilty sinner like me 
receive such sweetness and consolation in the 
midst of liis pains, what must be the joys of 


130 


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perfect souls ? ” The monks marvelled to hear a 
man of no learning speak so wisely, but recog¬ 
nized in his words the inspiration of the Holy 
Spirit. Therefore, we must conclude that the 
just, though deprived of earthly blessings, enjoy 
the rewards promised to virtue in this life. To 
convince you more fully of this we shall treat 
in the following chapters of the twelve privileges 
attached to virtue in this world. Taken as a 
whole, they are the twelfth motive for practis- 
ing virtue. AVe shall treat of each, however, 
in a separate chapter. Though some experience 
in the practice of virtue is necessary to compre¬ 
hend what we are about to say, yet the want of 
it may be supplied by our faith in the Holy 
Scriptures, which firmly establish the doctrine 
we are teaching. 


CHAPTER XII. 

THE FIRST PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE *. GOD’S FA¬ 
THERLY CARE OF THE JUST. 

T HE greatest privilege attached to virtue is 
the care which God exercises over those 
who serve Him. From this as from a 
fountain-head flow all other favors. 
Though God’s providence is extended to all His 
creatures, yet He manifests a special care for 
His faithful servants. To appreciate the great¬ 
ness and goodness of God’s providence we must 
have experienced it, or attentively studied the 



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131 


Holy Scriptures, which, from the beginning to 
the end, treat either directly or indirectly of 
God’s care for His creatures. Throughout the 
Bible we behold two characteristic features : on > 
the one hand God commanding man to obey 
Him, and on the other promising him in re¬ 
turn for this obedience inestimable rewards. 
To those who disobey He threatens the sever¬ 
est torments. This doctrine is so distributed 
through the Bible that all the moral books con¬ 
tain God’s commands and promises and threats, 
while the historical books record the fulfilment 
of the same, manifesting how differently God 
deals with the just and with the wicked. All 
that God commands us is to love and obey Him, 
and in return He offers us inestimable blessings 
for this life and the next. The most important 
of these blessings is the fatherly love and care 
with which He watches over His children. 
His solicitude for them exceeds that of any 
earthly father. What man ever reserved for his 
children an inheritance comparable to that of 
eternal glory ? What man ever suffered for 
his children the torments endured by our Sa¬ 
viour ? At no less a price than the last drop 
of His Blood He purchased the Kingdom of 
Heaven. What can equal His constant care for 
us ? We are ever present to His mind, and He 
constantly helps and supports us in all the 
labors of life. “Thou hast upheld me by 
reason of my innocence,” says David, “ and hast 
established me in Thy sight for ever.”* And 
again: “The eyes of the Lord are upon the 


132 


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just, and His ears unto their prayers. But the 
countenance of the Lord is against them that do 
evil things, to cut off the remembrance of them 
‘ from the earth. ” * 

As the greatest reward of the Christian in 
this life is God’s fatherly care, and as our joy 
and confidence must increase in proportion to 
our faith in this providence, we shall add here a 
few passages from Scripture in proof of this 
doctrine. In Ecclesiasticus we read : “ The 
eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear Him ; 
He is their powerful protector, and strong stay, 
a defence from the heat, and a cover from the 
sun at noon; a preservation from stumbling, 
and a help from falling ; He raiseth up the 
soul, and enlighteneth the eyes, and giveth 
health, life, and blessing.*’ f “ With the Lord,” 
says the prophet, “ shall the steps of a man be 
directed, and he shall like well his way. When 
he shall fall he shall not be bruised, for the 
Lord putteth His hand under him.” J And 
again; 44 Many are the afflictions of the just, but 
out of them all will the Lord deliver them. 
The Lord keepeth all their bones ; not one of 
them shall be broken.” § This providence is 
still more strongly set forth in the Gospel, where 
our Saviour affirms that not “a hair of the just 
shall perish.” || Even stronger is His assurance 
expressed by the mouth of ITis prophet: “ He 
that toucheth you touclieth the apple of My 
eye.” IF 

Besides this care which He Himself has for us, 

* Pr. xxxiii. lfi, 17. tEccluR. xxxiv. 19, 20. % Ps. xxxvi 23 24 

§ Ps. xxxiii. 20, 21. i St. Luke xxi. 18. ^ Zach. ii. 8. ’ 


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133 


“He hath given His Angels charge over us, to 
keep us in all our ways. In their hands they 
shall bear us up, lest we dash our foot against 
a stone/’ * Thus the mission of these pure 
spirits is to help the just, who are their younger 
brethren, to walk in the way of piety. Nor does 
their ministry cease at death, for we read in St. 
Luke that the holy beggar Lazarus was carried 
by Angels into Abraham’s bosom, f The Royal 
Prophet tells us that “the Angel of the Lord 
shall encamp round about them that fear Him, 
and shall deliver them.” J 

We find another illustration of God’s guar¬ 
dianship and defence of the just in the Fourth 
Book of Kings, g where we are told that when 
the servant of Eliseus feared for his master, 
against whom the king of Syria with all His 
army advanced, the prophet begged the Lord to 
open the eyes of his servant, to show him that 
there were as many for Eliseus as there were 
coming against him. The prophet’s prayer was 
heard, and the servant beheld the mountain full 
of horses and chariots of fire, and in the midst 
of them Eliseus. Hoes not the Holy Spirit will 
to teach us by these symbols the care with which 
God surrounds the just ? 

This protection not only delivers the just 
from evil’and leads them to good, but turns to 
their profit the sins into which they are some¬ 
times permitted to fall. For after a fall they 
acquire greater prudence, greater humility, and 
love God more tenderly for pardoning their of- 


*Ps. xc.il, 12 . 
X Ps. xxxiii. 8. 


t St. Luke xvi. 22. 
§ Chap. vi. 


134 


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fences and delivering them from their evils. 
Hence the Apostle tells ns : “ All things work 
together unto good to them that love God.” * 

And this protection God extends to the chil¬ 
dren of the just and to all their posterity, as He 
Himself assures us, saying: “ I am the Lord thy 
God, mighty, jealous, visiting the iniquity of 
the fathers upon the children, unto the third 
and fourth generation of them that hate Me ; 
and showing mercy unto thousands to them that 
love Me and keep My commandments.” f His 
words are verified in His treatment of the 
house of David, for whose sake He would not 
destroy his posterity, though they several times 
merited it by their crimes. No less striking 
was His mercy to the children of Abraham, 
for whose sake He repeatedly pardoned them. 
He even promised that Ismael, Abraham’s son, 
though born of a bondwoman, should “ increase 
and multiply exceedingly, and grow into a great 
nation.” J He protected even the holy Patri¬ 
arch’s servant, whom He guided in his journey 
and instructed in the means he should adopt to 
procure a wife for Isaac. He is not only merci¬ 
ful to servants for the sake of a good master, 
but He even blesses wicked masters because of 
just servants, as we see in the history of Joseph, 
whose master God visited with prosperity be¬ 
cause of the virtuous youth who abode in his 
house. Who, then, would not be devoted to so 
generous, so grateful a Master, Who watches so 
carefully over the interest of His servants ? 

Numerous are the titles which the Holy 

* Rom. viii. 28. + Exod. xx. 5, 6. $ Gen. xvii. 20. 


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135 


Scriptures use to express God’s providence. 
The one most frequently recurring is the sweet 
name of Father, which we find not only in the 
Gospel but also throughout the Old Testament. 
Thus the Psalmist says : “As a father hath 
compassion on his children, so hath the Lord 
compassion on them that fear Him ; for He 
knoweth our frame. He remembereth that we 
are dust.” * 

But because the love of a mother is deeper 
and more tender than that of a father, God 
makes use of it to express His care and solici¬ 
tude for the just. “Can a woman,” He says 
by the mouth of His prophet, “forget her in¬ 
fant, so as not to have pity on the son of her 
womb ? And if she should forget, yet will not 
I forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee in 
My hands; thy walls are always before My 
eyes.”f What sweeter or more tender assur¬ 
ances of love could God express ? And shall we 
continue blind to so many proofs of His tender¬ 
ness ? And not content with illustrating His 
love for us by that of a mother, He compares 
His watchfulness to that of the eagle, a creature 
noted for its devotion to its young, saying by 
Moses: “As the eagle enticing her young to 
fly, and hovering over them, He spread His 
wings, and hath taken him and carried him on 
His shoulders.”| Even more forcibly did 
Moses express the paternal goodness of God 
when he told the Israelites : “ The Lord thy 
God hath carried thee, as a man is wont to 
carry his little son, all the way that you have 

* P8. cii. 13,14. t Isaias xlix. 15,16. % Deut. xxxii. 11. 


136 


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come, until you came to this place.”* As our 
Father, God does not disdain to call us His 
children, His cherished children, as the prophet 
Jeremias attests when, speaking in the name of 
God, he says: “ Surely Ephraim is an honorable 
son to Me, surely he is a tender child; for 
since I spoke of him I will still remember him. 
Therefore are my bowels troubled for him; 
pitying I will pity him.” f Let us ponder these 
words, which are uttered by God Himself, that 
they may inflame our hearts and move us to 
make some return for His affectionate tender¬ 
ness to us. 

It is in illustration of this same providence 
that God assumes the title of Shepherd. “1 
am the Good Shepherd,” He tells us ; “and I 
know Mine, and Mine know Me.” \ How dost 
Thou know them, 0 Lord ? “As the Father 
knoweth Me, and I know the Father.” § Oh ! 
blessed care ! Oh ! sovereign providence ! 
What happiness is comparable to this ? Hear 
the prophet Ezechiel, speaking in the person of 
God, and beautifully describing His loving 
watchfulness over us : Behold I Myself will 
seek My sheep, and will visit them. As the 
shepherd visiteth his flock in the day when he 
shall be in the midst of his sheep that were scat¬ 
tered, so will I visit My sheep, and will deliver 
them out of all places where they have been 
scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And 
I will bring them out from the peoples, and 
will gather them out of the countries, and 
will bring them to their own land ; and I 

* Deut. i. 31. t Jer. xxxi. 20. $ St. John x. 14. § Verse 15. 


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137 


will feed, them in the mountains of Israel, 
by the rivers, and in all the habitations of 
the land. I will feed them in the most fruit¬ 
ful pastures, and their pastures shall be in 
the high mountains of Israel. There shall 
they rest on the green grass, and be fed in 
fat pastures upon the mountains of Israel. 1 
will feed My sheep ; and I will cause them to 
lie down, saith the Lord God. I will seek that 
which was lost, and that which was driven 
away I will bring again; and I will bind up that 
which was broken, and I will strengthen that 
which was weak, and that which was fat and 
strong I will preserve ; and I will feed them in 
judgment ”*—that is, with great care and ten¬ 
derness. “I will make a covenant of peace 
with them,” the prophet continues, “and will 
cause the evil beasts to cease out of the land; 
and they that dwell in the wilderness shall 
sleep secure in the forests. And I will make 
them a blessing round about my hill; and I will 
send down the rain in its season. There shall 
be showers of blessing.” f In what stronger 
terms could God express the tenderness of His 
love ? It is needless to say that the flock men¬ 
tioned represents the just, and the fat lands 
and pastures the spiritual riches and treasures 
with which God surrounds them. The Holy - 
Spirit makes use of the same touching figure 
again in the Twenty-second Psalm, where the 
different offices of a shepherd are portrayed. 

God is our Shepherd, because He guides us ; 
He is also our King, because He protects us ; 

* Ezecli. xxxiv. 11-17. + Verses 25,2G. 


138 


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our Master, because He instructs us ; our Phy¬ 
sician, because He heals us ; and our Guar¬ 
dian, because He watches oyer us. Holy Scrip¬ 
ture is full of these names. But the tenderest 
of all, the one which best expresses His Ioyc, is 
that of Spouse, which occurs most frequently 
in the Canticle of Canticles, though mentioned 
many times in other parts of the Scriptures. 
With this name would He have even sinners in¬ 
voke Him : “ From this time call to Me : Thou 
art my Father, the Guide of my virginity.” * 

But why seek in Scripture various names ? 
Cannot every name expressive of good be ap¬ 
plied to our Saviour ? Does not he who seeks 
and loves Him find in Him the fulfilment of all 
his desires? Hence, St. Ambrose says: “We 
possess all things in Christ, or rather Christ is 
all things to us. If you would be healed of your 
wounds, He is a Physician; if you thirst, He 
is a living Fountain ; if you fear death, lie is 
your Life ; if you are weary of the burden of 
sin, He is your Justification ; if you hate dark¬ 
ness, He is uncreated Light; if you would reach 
Heaven, He is the Way ; if you hunger, He is 
your Food.”f Behold how numerous are the 
titles which represent this one and indivisible 
God, Who is all things to us for the healing of 
our innumerable infirmities. 

We have selected a few of the passages of 
Scripture bearing on our subject, to comfort 
the just and to win and encourage souls who 
have not yet begun to serve God. These con¬ 
soling truths will support them in labor ; will 

*Jer. iii.4. t “ De Virg.,” L. iii. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


139 


reassure them in danger ; will comfort them in 
tribulation ; will inflame them with love for so 
good a Master, and impel them to give them¬ 
selves wholly to the service of Him who gives 
Himself so completely to them. Thus we see 
that the principal foundation of the Christian 
life is the practical knowledge of this truth. 

What are all the promises of the world com¬ 
pared to the assurance and hopes contained in 
these blessed titles ? How much reason have 
they to rejoice who are the objects of the love 
of which the Scriptures speak in such beautiful 
terms ! “ Be glad in the Lord,” says the 

prophet, “ and rejoice, ye just; and glory, all ye 
right of heart ! ” * Yes, let others rejoice in 
honors, in riches, or in dignities ; but you who 
possess God for your portion enjoy an inheri¬ 
tance which exceeds all other blessings as far as 
God exceeds all created things. “ They have 
called the people happy,” says the Psalmist, 
“ that hath these things ; but happy is that 
people whose God is the Lord.” f Why, O 
prophet? Because in possessing God all things 
are possessed. Therefore, though I am a king 
and the ruler of a great nation, I will glory 
only in the Lord. How, then, can men refuse to 
serve Him who is the Source of all blessings ? 
“ What iniquity have your fathers found in 
Me,” God asks by the mouth of His prophet, 
“ that they are gone far from Me, and have 
walked after vanity, and are become vain ? Am 
I become a wilderness to Israel, or a lateward 
springing land?” J If God complain so bitterly 

* Ps. xxxi. 11. t Pe. cxliii. 15. $ Jer. ii. 5, 31. 


140 


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of the ingratitude of a people who had received 
from Him but temporal favors, how much more 
reason has He to reproach us, upon whom He 
has lavished so many spiritual and divine 
blessings ! 

If unmoved by the loving providence of God 
towards the just, at least be not insensible to 
the rigor with which He punishes the wicked, 
to whom His justice is meted out according to 
their own measure. For if they forget their 
Creator He will-forget them. If they despise 
Him He will despise them. How miserable 
will their condition then be! They will be as a 
school without a master, a ship without a rud¬ 
der, a flock without a shepherd. “ I will not 
feed you/’ God says; “that which dieth, let it 
die ; and that which is cut off, let it be cut off. 
Let the rest devour every one the flesh of his 
neighbor.”* “ I will hide my face from them, 
and will consider what their last end shall be.” f 

The just punishment inflicted by God on 
the wicked is still more plainly declared in 
Isaias.j; The Prophet speaks of his people 
under the figure of a vine which has been care¬ 
fully pruned and dressed, but has failed to bear 
fruit. God, therefore, pronounces sentence 
against it: “I will show you what I will do to 
My vineyard. I will take away the hedge there¬ 
of, and it shall be wasted. I will break down 
the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down. 
And I will make it desolate; it shall not be 
pruned, and it shall not be digged; but briers and 
thorns shall come up ; and I will command the 

* Zach. xi. 9. t Dent xxxii. 20. $ v. 5, 6. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


141 


clouds to rain no rain upon it.” That is, God 
will take from man all the efficacious help 
and protection which he ungratefully refused, 
and will leave him to inevitable ruin and de¬ 
struction. 

What greater misfortune can befall a man 
than to be thus deprived of God’s care in a 
world beset with dangers ? With what arms 
will a creature so frail, helpless, and blind resist 
the attacks of the numerous enemies that assail 
him ? Where will he find strength to resist 
them ? Who will enlighten him, to enable him 
to avoid their snares ? Without the divine as¬ 
sistance how can he avoid destruction? 

But the punishment of the wicked does not 
end here. God not only abandons them to their 
weakness, but scourges them with His justice, so 
that the eyes which hitherto watched for their 
happiness now look unmoved upon their ruin. 
This God Himself tells us by the mouth of the 
prophet: “l will set my eyes upon them for 
evil, and not for good ” *—that is, the providence 
which hitherto watched for their defence will 
now work for vengeance on their crimes and 
disorders. Even more expressive is the lan¬ 
guage of Osee : f “I will be like a moth to 
Ephraim, and like rottenness to the house of 
Juda. I will be like a lioness to Ephraim, and 
like a lion’s whelp to the house of Juda: I, 1 will 
catch, and go ; I will take away, and there is 
none that can rescue.” Hear also the prophet 
Amos, who, after telling us that God will put 
the wicked to the sword for their sins of 

* Amos ix. 4. t v. 12,14. 


142 


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covetousness, thus continues: “They shall flee, 
and he that shall flee of them shall not be de¬ 
livered. Though they go down even to hell, 
thence shall My hand bring them out; and 
though they climb up to heaven, thence will 1 
bring them down. And though they be hid in 
the top of Carmel, I will search and take them 
away from there ; and though they hide them¬ 
selves in the depth of the sea, there will I com¬ 
mand the serpent, and he shall bite them. And 
if they go into captivity before their enemies, 
there will I command the sword, and it shall 
kill them. And I will set my eyes upon them 
for evil, and not for good.” * Who can read 
these words, remembering that they are utter¬ 
ed by God, and not tremble at the misfortune 
of having an enemy so powerful and so relent¬ 
less in seeking his destruction ? What rest or 
peace can he enjoy who knows that God’s eyes 
are upon him with wrath and indignation ? If 
it be so great a calamity to lose God’s love, what 
must it be to have His providence armed against 
you ; to have turned against you that sword 
which was formerly drawn in your defence ; to 
have your destruction now viewed without 
emotion by those eyes which formerly watched 
so solicitously for your welfare ; to have that 
arm which hitherto sustained you now stretch¬ 
ed forth to annihilate you; to have that Heart 
which in the time of your goodness breathed but 
love and peace for you now filled with projects 
for your abasement ; to have your shield and 
defence changed into a moth to consume you, a 

* Amos ix. 1-5. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


143 


roaring lion to devour you ? Who can sleep 
securely, knowing that God is over him like 
the rod of Jeremias to chastise him ? Who can 
thwart the designs of God ? What power can 
resist His arm ? “ Who hath resisted Him,” 

says Job, “ and hath had peace ? ” * 

1 Numerous are the passages in Scripture in 
which God threatened the withdrawal of His 
providence as one of the most terrible punish¬ 
ments which He could inflict upon the sinner. 
“My people heard not My voice,” He says, 
“ and Israel hearkened not to Me. So I let 
them go according to the desires of their heart. 
They shall walk in their own inventions. ” f 
Abandoned to the desires of their corrupt 
hearts, they will proceed from disorder to dis¬ 
order untii their ruin is accomplished. What, 
then, is man without God but a garden with¬ 
out a gardener, a ship without a pilot, a state 
without a ruler, an army without a general, a 
body without a soul ? 

Behold, dear Christian, how God’s provi¬ 
dence encompasses you. If you are not incited 
to fidelity through gratitude for His paternal 
care, at least the fear of abandonment by Him 
should impel you to serve Him. For many are 
moved by threats and the fear of punishment, 
while they remain utterly insensible to the hope 
of favor or reward. 


* Job ix. 4. 


t Ps. Ixxx. 12, 13. 


144 


The Sinner's Guide. 


CHAPTER XIII. 

THE SECOND PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE 

GRACE WITH WHICH THE HOLY SPIRIT 
FILLS DEVOUT SOULS. 


G OD’S fatherly providence, of which we have 
just been treating, is the source of all the 
favors and privileges which lie bestows 
iqion those who serve Him. For it be¬ 
longs to this providence to furnish man w 7 ith 
all the means necessary for his perfection and 
happiness. 

The most important of these means is the 
grace of the Holy G-host, which in its turn is 
the source of all other heavenly gifts. This 
is the garment with which the good father in 
the parable ordered the prodigal to be clothed. 
But, that we may have a clearer idea of it, let us 
see how theologians define it. Divine grace, 
they tell us, is a participation of the divine na¬ 
ture, that is, of God’s sanctity, purity, and 
greatness, by virtue of which man is despoiled 
of the baseness and corruption of his nature 
and is clothed with the beauty and nobility of 
Jesus Christ. Holy writers illustrate this by a 
familiar example. A piece of iron, when taken 
out of the fire, though it still continues to be 
iron, resembles the fire on account of its heat 
and brightness. Grace acts in like manner. 
As a divine quality it is infused into the soul, 
and so transforms man into God that, without 
ceasing to be man, he assumes the virtues and 


The Sinner's Guide. 


145 


purity of God. This was the change wrought 
in St. Paul when he said : “ I live, now not I, 
hut Christ liveth in me.”* 

Grace may also be called a supernatural and 
divine form, by means of which man lives as be¬ 
comes his origin, which is also supernatural and 
divine. 

Grace is, moreover, a spiritual dress, a chaste 
ornament of the soul, which renders her so beau¬ 
tiful in the eyes of God that He adopts her as 
His child, or rather accepts her as His Spouse. 
It was this adornment which made the prophet 
rejoice when he said : “I will greatly rejoice in 
the Lord, and my soul shall be joyful in my 
God. For He hath clothed me with the gar¬ 
ments of salvation; and with the robe of justice 
He hath covered me, as a bridegroom decked 
with a crown, and as a bride adorned with her 
jewels.” f Such are the gifts with which the 
Holy Spirit enriches and adorns the soul. This 
is the garment of divers colors in which the 
king’s daughter was gloriously arrayed. J For 
from grace proceeds that glorious variety of 
virtues which forms the power and beauty of 
the soul. 

From what has been said we can judge of the 
effects of grace in a soul. It renders her so 
beautiful, as we have said, that God, Who is 
captivated with her loveliness, chooses her for 
His Spouse, His temple, and His dwelling. 
Another effect of grace is the strength which it 
imparts to the soul. This beauty and this 
strength are extolled in the Canticle of Canti- 


* Gal. ii. 20. 


X Ps. xliv. 


t Isaias lxi. 10. 


146 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


cles, where the Angels exclaim : “ Who is she 
that cometh forth as the morning rising, fair 
as the moon, bright as the sun, terrible as 
an army set in array ? ” * 

Grace, then, is like an invulnerable armor. 
So strong does it render man that, according 
to St. Thomas, the least degree of grace suffices 
to triumph over all sin. f 

A third effect of grace is to render man so 
pleasing to God that every good action per¬ 
formed by him contributes to merit for him 
eternal life. By good we here mean not only 
j«}ts of virtue, but all those which arise from 
the necessities of nature, such as eating, drink¬ 
ing, and sleeping, which, by an upright inten¬ 
tion, become pleasing to God and meritorious 
in His sight. In addition to all this, grace 
makes man the adopted child of God and heir 
to His kingdom. Our Saviour showed the 
greatness of this privilege when, seeing His 
Apostles rejoicing that evil spirits obeyed them 
in His name. He said: “Bejoice not in this, 
that spirits are subject unto you; but rejoice in 
this, that your names are written in Heaven.” J 
Grace, finally, qualifies man for all good; 
smooths the way to heaven; makes the yoke of 
Christ sweet and light; cures him of his infirmi¬ 
ties and lightens his burdens, so that he is 
enabled to run in the path of virtue. More¬ 
over, it strengthens all the faculties of the soul, 
enlightens the understanding, inflames the 
heart, moderates the appetites of the flesh, and 
constantly stimulates us, so that we may not 

* Cant. vi. 9. t “ Summa” p. 3, q. 62, a. 6. X St. Luke x. 20. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


147 


relax in the pursuit of virtue. And as all the 
passions which reside in the inferior part of 
the soul are so many breaches in the fortifica¬ 
tion of virtue, through which the enemy effects 
an entrance, grace guards these avenues of sin 
with sentinels. These are the infused virtues, 
each of which is the opposite of the passion 
or vice which imperils the peace of the soul. 
Thus, temperance resists gluttony, chastity 
combats impurity, humility overcomes pride. 

But the crowning effect of grace is that it 
brings God into our souls, in order to govern us, 
protect us, and lead us to Heaven. There God 
is pleased to abide, like a king in his kingdom, 
a father in the bosom of his family, a master 
with beloved disciples, a shepherd in the midst 
of his flock. Since, then, this inestimable 
pearl, the pledge of so many other blessings, is 
the unfailing lot of the virtuous, who will hesi¬ 
tate to imitate the wisdom of that merchant 
who sold all he had to purchase this pearl? * 


* St. Matt. xiii. 


148 


The Sinner's Guide. 


CHAPTER XIY. 

THE THIRD PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE SUPER¬ 
NATURAL LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE GRANTED 
TO VIRTUOUS SOULS. 

T HE heavenly light and wisdom with which 
God enlightens the just form the third re¬ 
ward of virtue. And this blessing, as well 
as all the others, is the effect of that grace 
which not only rules our appetites and strength¬ 
ens our will, but removes the darkness of sin 
from our understanding and enables us to 
know and fulfil our duty. St. Gregory tells us 
that ignorance of our duty as well as inability 
to do our duty are alike punishments of sin.* 
Hence, David so frequently repeats: “ The 
Lord is my light” against ignorance, “the 
Lord is my salvation ” f against weakness. On 
the one side He teaches us what we should de¬ 
sire, and on the other He strengthens us to exe¬ 
cute our desires. And both of these favors are 
bestowed on us through grace. For in addition 
to a habit of faith and infused wisdom which 
teach us what we are to believe and practise, 
grace imparts to us the gifts of the Holy Ghost. 
Four of these gifts relate particularly to the 
understanding : wisdom, which instructs us in 
spiritual and sublime things; knowledge, which 
informs us of the things of earth and time ; un¬ 
derstanding, which helps us appreciate the 
beauty and harmony of the divine mysteries; and 

* *•' Moral,,” L. 25, c. 9. t Ps. xxvi. 1. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


149 


counsel, which guides and directs us amidst the 
difficulties which we encounter in the path of 
virtue. These gifts are so many rays of light 
which proceed from the divine centre of grace, 
and in Scripture are called an unction or anoint¬ 
ing. “But you have the unction from the 
Holy One, and know all things.” * Oil has the 
double virtue of giving light and healing, and 
fitly represents the divine unction which en¬ 
lightens the darkness of our understanding and 
heals the wounds of our will. This is the oil 
which exceeds in value the purest balsam, and 
for which David rejoiced when he said: “Thou, 
0 Lord ! hast anointed my head with oil.” f It 
is evident that the Royal Prophet did not speak 
here of a material oil, and that by the head he 
designated, according to the interpretation of 
Didymus, the noblest part of the soul, or the 
understanding, which is illumined and support¬ 
ed by the unction of the Holy Spirit. 

Since it is the property and function of grace 
to make us virtuous, we must love virtue and 
abhor sin, which we cannot do if the under¬ 
standing be not divinely enlightened to discern 
the malice of sin and the beauty of virtue. For 
the will, according to philosophers and theo¬ 
logians, is a blind faculty, incapable of acting 
without the guidance of the intellect, which 
points out the good it should choose and love, 
and the evil it should reject and hate. The 
same is true of fear, of hope, and of hatred for 
sin. We can never acquire these sentiments 


* 1 St. John ii. 20. 


+ Ps. xxii. 5. 


150 


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without a just knowledge of the goodness of 
God and the malice of sin. 

Grace, as you have already learned, causes 
God to dwell in our souls; and as God, in the 
words of St. John, is “the true Light, which 
enlighteneth every man that cometli into this 
world,” * the purer a soul is the brighter will 
this Light shine in her, just as glass, according 
as it is clearer, reflects more strongly the rays 
of the sun. Hence, St. Augustine calls God 
the “wisdom of a purified soul,” f because He 
fills her with His light, which enables her to 
apprehend all that is necessary for salvation. 
Nor should this surprise us when we consider 
with what care God provides even the brute 
creation with all that is necessary for the main¬ 
tenance of life. For whence is that natural in¬ 
stinct which teaches the sheep to distinguish 
among plants those which are poisonous and 
those which are wholesome ? Who has taught 
them to run from the wolf and to follow the 
dog ? Was it not God, the Author of nature ? 
Since, then, God endows the brute creation 
with the discernment necessary for the preser¬ 
vation of their animal life, have we not much 
more reason to feel that He will communicate 
to the just the knowledge necessary for the 
maintenance of their spiritual life ? 

This example teaches us not only that such a 
knowledge really exists, but also marks the 
character of this knowledge. It is not a mere 
theory or speculation; it is eminently practical. 
Hence the difference between knowledge di- 

* St. John i. 9. + “ De Lib. Arbit.,” L. 2. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


151 


vinely communicated and that which is acquired 
in the schools. The latter only illumines the 
intellect, but the former, the inspirations of the 
Holy Ghost, communicates itself to the will, 
strengthens it for good, governs and stimulates 
it. By its efficacious virtue this divine know¬ 
ledge penetrates into the depths of the soul, 
transforms our passions, and remodels us upon 
the likeness of Christ. Hence, the Apostle tells 
us : “The word of God is living and effectual, 
and more piercing than any two-edged sword, 
and reaching unto the division of the soul and 
spirit” *—that is, separating the spiritual man 
from the animal man. 

This, then, is one of the principal effects of 
grace, and one of the most beautiful rewards 
of virtue in this life. But to prove this truth 
more clearly to carnal men, who reluctantly 
accept it, we will confirm it by undeniable pas¬ 
sages from both the Old and the New Testa¬ 
ment. In the New Testament our Saviour 
tells us: “The Holy Ghost, whom the Father 
will send in My name, lie will teach you all 
things, and bring all things to your mind, 
whatsoever I shall have said to you.”f And 
again: “It is written in the prophets : And 
they shall all be taught of God. Every one 
that hath heard of the Father, and hath learn¬ 
ed, cometh to Me.” J 

Numerous are the passages in the Old Testa¬ 
ment which promise this wisdom to the just. “ I 
am the Lord thy God, that teach thee profitable 
things, that govern thee in the way that thou 

* Ueb. iv. 12. + St. John xiv. 26. % St. John vi. 45. 


152 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


walkest.”* “The month of the just,” says 
David, “shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue 
shall speak judgment.”! Throughout the one 
hundred and eighteenth Psalm how frequent is 
his prayer for this divine wisdom! “ Blessed art 
Thou, "0 Lord : teach me Thy justifications. 
Open Thou my eyes, and I will consider the 
wondrous things of Thy law. Give me under¬ 
standing, and 1 will search Thy law ; and I will 
keep it with my whole heart.” 

Shall we not, therefore, appreciate the happi¬ 
ness and honor of possessing such a Master, from 
Whom we may learn sublime lessons of immortal 
wisdom? “If Apollonius,” says St. Jerome, 
“traversed the greater part of the world to be¬ 
hold Hipparchus seated upon a golden throne in 
the midst of his disciples, and explaining to 
them the movements of the heavenly bodies, 
what should not men do to hear God, from the 
throne of their hearts, instructing them, not 
upon the motions of the heavenly bodies, but 
how they may advance to the heavenly king¬ 
dom ? ” 

If you would appreciate the value of this doc¬ 
trine, hear how it is extolled by the prophet in 
the psalm from which we have already quoted : 
“I have understood more than all my teachers,” 
he exclaims, “ because Thy testimonies are my 
meditation. I have had understanding above 
ancients, because I have sought Thy command¬ 
ments.” I More expressive still are the words 
in which Isaias enumerates the blessings prom¬ 
ised to God’s servants: “The Lord will give 

* Isaias xlviii. 17. tPs. xxxvi. 30. % Ps. cxviii. 99, 100. 


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thee rest continually, and will fill thy soul with 
brightness, and deliver thy bones, and thou 
shalt be like a watered garden, and like a foun¬ 
tain of water whose waters shall not fail.” * 
What is this brightness with which God fills the 
soul of the just but that clear knowledge of all 
that is necessary for salvation ? He shows them 
the beauty of virtue and the deformity of vice. 
He reveals to them the vanity of this world, the 
treasures of grace, the greatness of eternal glory, 
and the sweetness of the consolations of the 
Holy Spirit. He teaches them to apprehend 
the goodness of God, the malice of the evil one, 
the shortness of life, and the fatal error of those 
whose hopes are centred in this world alone. 
Hence the equanimity of the just. They are 
neither puffed up by prosperity nor cast down 
by adversity. “A holy man,” says Solomon, 
“continueth in wisdom as the sun, but a fool 
is changed as the moon.” f Unmoved by the 
winds of false doctrine, the just man continues 
steadfast in Christ, immovable in charity, un¬ 
swerving in faith. 

Be not astonished at the effect of this wisdom, 
for it is not earthly, but divine. Is there any¬ 
thing of earth to be compared with it ? “ The 

finest gold shall not purchase it, neither shall 
silver be weighed in exchange for it. It cannot 
be compared with the most precious stone sar¬ 
donyx, or the sapphire. The fear of the Lord is 
wisdom, and to depart from evil is understand¬ 
ing .X 

And this wisdom increases in the just, for 

♦ Isaiaslviil.il. t Ecclus. xxvii. 12. $ Job xxviii. 


154 


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Solomon tells ns : “ The path of the just, as a 
shining light, goeth forwards and increaseth 
even to perfect day,” * the beginning of a blessed 
eternity, when God's wisdom and beauty will be 
revealed to us in all their brightness and power. 

This great gift is the portion of the just only, 
for the wicked are plunged in an ignorance so 
intense that it was well symbolized by the dark¬ 
ness which covered the land of Egypt. The 
wicked themselves confess their blindness: 
“ We looked for light, and behold darkness ; 
brightness, and we have walked in the dark. 
We have groped for the wall, like the blind, and 
we have groped as if we had no eyes ; we have 
stumbled at noonday as in darkness ; we are in 
dark places as dead men.” f What can equal 
the blindness of him who sells eternal happiness 
for the fleeting and hitter pleasures of this 
world ? How incomprehensible is the ignorance 
of him w 7 ho neither fears hell nor strives for 
Heaven ; who feels no horror for sin ; who dis¬ 
regards the menaces as well as the promises of 
God ; who makes no preparation for death, 
which hourly seizes its victims ; who does not 
see that momentary joys here are laying up for 
him eternal torments hereafter! “They have 
not knowm or understood ; they walk on in the 
darkness” J of sin through this life, and will 
pass from it to the eternal darkness of the life 
to come. 

Before concluding this chapter we would 
make the following suggestion : Notwithstand¬ 
ing the power and efficacy of this wisdom 

*Prov. iv. 18. + Isaias lix. 9,10. $ Ps. lxxxi. 5. 


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155 


with which God fills the souls of the just, no 
man, however great the light he has received, 
should refuse to submit his judgment to his 
lawful superiors, especially the authorized teach¬ 
ers and doctors of the Church. Who ever re¬ 
ceived greater light than St. Paul, who was raised 
to the third heaven ; or than Moses, who spoke 
face to face with God ? Yet St. Paul went 
to Jerusalem to confer with the Apostles upon 
the Gospel which he had received from Christ 
Himself; and Moses did not disdain to accept 
the advice of his father-in-law, Jethro, who was 
a gentile. For the interior aids of grace do not 
exclude the exterior succors of the Church. 
Divine Providence has willed to make them both 
an aid to our salvation. As the natural heat of 
our body is stimulated by that of the sun, and 
the healing powers of nature are aided by exte¬ 
rior remedies, so the light of grace is strength¬ 
ened by the teaching and direction of the 
Church. Whoever refuses, therefore, to humble 
himself and submit to her authority will render 
himself unworthy of any favor from God. 


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CHAPTER XV. 

THE FOURTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE 
CONSOLATIONS WITH WHICH THE HOLY 
SPIRIT VISITS THE JUST. 

W E might regard charity, or the love of 
God, as the fourth privilege of virtue, 
particularly as the Apostle accounts it 
the first-fruit of the Holy Ghost; but 
our intention being at present to treat more of 
the rewards of virtue than of virtue itself, we 
shall devote this chapter to the consolations of 
the Holy G host, and refer to another part the 
consideration of charity, the most noble of vir¬ 
tues. 

This fourth privilege of virtue is the effect of 
that divine light of which we spoke in the pre¬ 
ceding chapter. 

This is the teaching of David when he says : 
“ Light is risen to the just, and joy to the right 
of heart.” * The Holy Scriptures furnish abun¬ 
dant proof of this truth. If the path of virtue, 
0 deluded sinner! be as sad and difficult as you 
represent it, what does the Psalmist mean when 
he exclaims : “ Oh! how great is the multitude 
of Thy sweetness, 0 Lord ! which Thou hast 
hidden for them that fear Thee ” ? f And again: 
“ My soul shall rejoice in the Lord, and shall 
be delighted in His salvation. All my bones ” 
(that is, all the powers of my soul) “ shall say: 
Lord, who is like to Thee ? ” J Do not these texts 

* Ps. xcvi. 11. t Ps. xxx. 20. % Ps. xxxiv. 9,10. 


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clearly tell us of the joy with which the souls 
of the just overflow, which penetrates even to 
the flesh, and which so inebriates man’s whole 
being that he breaks forth into transports of 
holy joy ? IVhat earthly pleasure can be com¬ 
pared to this ? What peace, what love, what 
delight can equal that of which Thou, 0 my 
God! art the inexhaustible source? “The 
voice of rejoicing and of salvation,” continues 
the prophet, “ is in the tabernacles of the just.”* 
Yes, only just souls know true joy, true peace, 
true consolation. 

“ Let the just feast and rejoice before God, 
and be delighted with gladness.” f “They shall 
be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house, and 
Thou slialt make them drink of the torrent of 
Thy pleasure.” J Could the prophet more pow¬ 
erfully express the strength and sweetness of 
these consolations ? They shall be inebriated, 
he tells us ; for as a man overcome by the fumes 
of wine is insensible to all outward objects, so 
the just, who are filled with the wine of heaven¬ 
ly consolations, are dead to the things of this 
world. 

“Blessed is the people,” he farther says, 
“ that knoweth jubilation.” § Many would per¬ 
haps have said, Blessed are they who abound in 
wealth, who are protected by strong walls, and 
who possess valiant soldiers to defend them ! 
But David, who had all these, esteemed only 
that people happy who knew by experience what 
it was to rejoice in God with that joy of spirit 


* Ps. cxvii. 15. 
x Pb. xxxv. 9. 


t Ps. Ixvii. 3. 

§ Pb. Ixxxviii. 16. 


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which, according to St. Gregory, cannot find 
expression in words or actions. Happy they 
who are sufficiently advanced in love for God to 
know this jubilation! It is a knowledge which 
Plato with all his wisdom, and Demosthenes with 
all his eloquence, could never attain. Since, 
then, God is the author of this joy, how great 
must be its strength and sweetness ! For if His 
arm be so terrible when stretched forth to chas¬ 
tise, it is equally tender when extended to caress. 

We are told that St. Ephrem was frequently 
so overcome with the strength of this divine 
sweetness that he was forced to cry out: “ With¬ 
draw from me a little, 0 Lord ! for my body 
faints under the weight of Thy delights.” * Oh! 
unspeakable Goodness ! Oh! sovereign Sweet¬ 
ness, communicating Thyself so prodigally to 
Thy creatures that the human heart cannot 
contain the effusions of Thy infinite love ! In 
this inebriation of heavenly sweetness the 
troubles and trials of the world are forgotten, 
and the soul is strengthened and elevated to 
joys beyond the power of her natural faculties. 
Just as water under the action of fire loses its 
property of heaviness, and rises in imitation, as 
it were, of the element by which it is moved, so 
the soul inflamed with the fire of divine love 
soars to Heaven, the source of this flame, and 
burns with desire for the object of her love. 
“Tell my beloved,” she cries, “that I languish 
with love.” f These joys, which are the portion 
of the just in this world, need not excite our 
wonder, if we consider all that God endured in 

* St. John Climachus. t Canticles v. 8. 


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159 


His Passion. All His sufferings and ignominies 
were for the sinner as well as for the just. 
Hence, if He endured so much for the sinner, 
what will He not do for the happiness of faith¬ 
ful souls ? 

The devotion and fidelity of the just still 
farther enable us to form some conception of the 
ardor with which God promotes their happiness. 
Look into their hearts, and you will find there 
not a thought or desire which is not for Him 
Whose glory is the end of all their actions; that 
they spare no sacrifice to serve Him Who is con¬ 
tinually giving them proofs of His love. If, 
therefore, frail and inconstant man be capable 
of such devotedness, what will God not do for 
him ? Isaias, and after him St. Paul, tell us 
“ that eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither 
hath it entered into the heart of man, what 
tilings God hath prepared for them that love 
Him.” * 

We could cite many other passages from 
Scripture in proof of this truth, particularly 
from the Canticle of Canticles, where these 
divine consolations are represented, sometimes 
under the figure of generous wine which rejoices 
the heart of man, or as milk sweeter than honey, 
containing all strength, and filling the soul with 
life and joy. But what we have said will suffice 
to prove to you the joys which are reserved for 
the good, and how far these heavenly consola¬ 
tions exceed the pleasures of this world. For 
what comparison can there be between light and 
darkness,' between Christ and Belial? How 

* Isaias lxiv. 4 and 1 Cor. ii. 9. 


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can tlie happiness afforded by a creature be 
compared to that which is given by the Creator ? 
That it is particularly in prayer that just souls 
enjoy these divine consolations is a truth we 
now wish to prove. 

This God Himself tells us: “The children 
of the stranger that adhere to the Lord, to 
worship Him, and to love His name, to be His 
servants ; every one that keepeth the Sabbath 
from profaning it, and that holdeth fast My 
covenant, I will bring them into My holy 
mount, and will make them joyful in My 
house of prayer.” * Hence St. Lawrence Jus¬ 
tinian tells us that the hearts of the just are 
inflamed in prayer with love for their Creator ; 
that they are frequently raised above themselves 
and transported in spirit to the abode of the 
Angels, where, in presence of their God, they 
unite their praise to that of the celestial choirs. 
They weep and rejoice, for the sighs of their 
exile mingle with the anticipations of their 
blessed country. They feast, but are never 
filled. They drink, but are never satisfied. 
They unceasingly long to be transformed into 
Thee, 0 Lord! Whom they contemplate with 
faith, Whom they adore with humility, Whom 
** they seek with desire, Whom they possess and 
enjoy through love. The powers of their mind 
are inadequate to comprehend this happiness 
which penetrates their whole being, yet they 
tremble to lose it. Even as Jacob wrestled 
with the Angel, so do their hearts struggle to 
retain this divine sweetness amid the turmoil 

* Isaiae lvi. 6, 7. 


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161 


and trouble of this world, crying out with the 
Apostle: “ Lord, it is good for us to be here.” * 

When inflamed with this divine fire the soul 
longs to be freed from her prison of clay. She 
waters her bread with her tears, that the hour 
of her deliverance may not be delayed. She 
mourns that she has learned so late the enjoy¬ 
ment of these treasures which God has pre¬ 
pared for all men. She longs to proclaim them 
in public places, crying to the deluded victims 
of this world: “0 unhappy people, sense¬ 
less men ! Whither are you hastening ? What 
is the object of your search ? Why will you 
not seek happiness at its source ? ‘ Taste and 

see that the Lord is sweet; blessed is the man 
that hopeth in Him.’” f 

“ What have I, 0 Lord ! in Heaven, and be¬ 
sides Thee what do I desire upon earth ? For 
Thee my flesh and my heart hath fainted away ; 
Thou art the God of my heart, and the God 
that is my portion for ever.” J 

You will probably tell me that these conso¬ 
lations are reserved for those who are already 
advanced in virtue. No doubt these intimate 
joys of the soul are known only to more perfect 
souls, yet the Divine Master grants even be¬ 
ginners ineffable rewards. The happiness of 
the prodigal, the rejoicing and feasting which 
resound in his father’s house, are an image of 
the spiritual joy which the soul experiences 
when she is released from the slavery of the 
evil one and made an honored child of Christ. 

It is very evident that man, bound by the 

* St. Matt. xvii. 4. t Ps. xxxiii. 9. % Pa.25, 26* 


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chains of the flesh and the allurements of the 
world, could not trample pleasure under foot 
and resolutely enter the path of virtue, did not 
God accord him favors which sweeten all his 
sacrifices. Therefore, when a soul is resolved 
to turn to God, He smooths the way for her, 
and removes many obstacles that might cause 
her to lose courage ’ and fall back. This is 
what God did for the children of Israel when 
He led them out of the land of Egypt: “ When 
Pharao had sent out the people, the Lord led 
them not by way of the land of the Philistines, 
which is near, thinking lest perhaps they would 
repent, if they should see wars rise against 
them, and would return into Egypt.” * 

This same Providence which guided the 
Israelites continues daily to manifest like care 
for the faithful, bringing them out of the sla¬ 
very of the world and leading them to the 
conquest of Heaven, the true promised land. 

We find still another figure of this truth in 
the Old Testament where God commanded the 
first and the last days of the week to be ob¬ 
served with particular solemnity, thus teaching 
us that He rejoices with His children in the 
beginning as well as in the consummation of 
their perfection. Those who are entering the 
path of virtue are treated by God with the ten¬ 
derness and consideration which are shown to 
children. The affection of a mother for her 
younger sons is not greater than that which she 
bears those of riper years, yet she tenderly car¬ 
ries the little ones in her arms and leaves the 

♦ Exod. xiii. 17. 


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163 


older ones to walk by them selves. The latter 
are sometimes obliged to earn their food before 
it is given them, while the little ones not only 
receive it unsolicited, but are tenderly fed. 
This is a faint image of the loving care with 
which God surrounds those who are beginning 
to serve Him. 

It is no argument against this truth that you 
do not experience these divine consolations when 
you think of God. Food is tasteless to a disor¬ 
dered palate, and for a soul vitiated by sin and 
sensual affections this heavenly manna has no 
relish. Cleanse your soul with the tears of re¬ 
pentance, and then “ taste and see that the Lord 
is sweet.” * 

What are all the pleasures of this world com¬ 
pared to these ineffable consolations ? Why will 
you not begin to be happy from this moment ? 
“0 man.!” says Richard of St. Victor, quot¬ 
ing the words of the Gospel, “ since Paradise 
may be thine, why dost thou not sell all thy pos¬ 
sessions to purchase this pearl of great price ? ” 
Dear Christian, delay not an affair so important. 
Every moment is worth more to you than all 
the riches of the universe. Even though you 
attain this heavenly treasure, you will never 
cease to lament the time you have lost, and to 
cry out with St. Augustine : “ Too late have I 
known Thee, too late have I loved Thee, 0 
Beauty ever ancient and ever new ! ” This 
illustrious penitent, though he unceasingly la¬ 
mented the lateness of his conversion, gave him¬ 
self to God with all his heart, and, therefore, 

*Ps. xxxiii. 9. 




164 


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won an immortal crown. Do you imitate him, 
and thus avoid the unhappy lot of lamenting 
not only the delay of your conversion, hut even 
the loss of your crown. 


CHAPTER XYI. 

THE FIFTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE PEACE 
OF A GOOD CONSCIENCE. 

G OD, Who gives His creatures all that is 
necessary for their perfection, has planted 
the seed of virtue in the soul of man, and 
has endowed him with a natural inclina¬ 
tion for good and an instinctive hatred of evil. 
This inclination may be weakened and perverted 
by a habit of vice, but it can never be totally de¬ 
stroyed. We find a figure of this truth in Job, 
where we see that, in the calamities which befell 
the holy man, one servant always escaped to an¬ 
nounce the misfortune which had overtaken his 
master. So the faithful servant, conscience, 
always remains with the sinner in the midst of 
his disorders to show him what he has lost and 
the state to which his sins have reduced him. 

This is still another striking proof of that 
providence we have been considering, and of 
the value God attaches to virtue. He lias placed 
in the centre of our souls a guardian that never 
sleeps, a monitor that is never silent, a master 
that never ceases to guide and sustain us. 
Epictetus, the Stoic philosopher, was deeply 



The Sinner's Guide . 


1C5 


impressed with this truth when he said that 
“ as fathers are wont to entrust their children to 
a tutor who will prudently guard them from 
vice and-lead them to virtue, so God, after creat¬ 
ing man, confides him to the care of that interior 
guide which stimulates him to virtue and warns 
him against vice.” 

But conscience, which is such a kind master 
to the just, becomes a scourge to the wick¬ 
ed. It tortures them with the remembrance of 
their crimes and embitters all their pleasures. 
Among these torments of conscience, one of the 
greatest is the hideousness and deformity of sin, 
which is so abominable in itself that a heathen 
philosopher once said: “ Though I knew that 
the gods would pardon me if I sinned, and that 
men would never know it, yet I would not take 
upon me a thing so abominable in itself.” 

Another rod with which conscience, scourges 
the wicked is the sight of the evil caused by sin, 
which, like the blood of Abel, seems to cry to 
Heaven for vengeance. Thus we are told that 
King Antiochus during his sickness was so as¬ 
sailed by the thoughts of his past crimes that 
the grief they occasioned brought on his death. 
“I remember,” he cried, “the evils that I did 
in Jerusalem, whence also I took away all the 
spoils of gold and of silver that were in it, and I 
sent to destroy the inhabitants of Juda without 
cause. I know, therefore, that for this cause 
these evils have found me ; and behold I perish 
with great grief in a strange land.” * 

The shame and dishonor of sin form another 

* 1 Mach. vi. 12, 13. 





166 


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torment for the wicked. It is natural for man 
to desire esteem, but who can honor the sinner ? 
It is natural for him to wish to be loved, but 
who is there who does not hate iniquity ? To 
these miseries let us add the fear of death, 
which never fails to haunt the wicked, unless 
.hey are utterly abandoned. What comfort can 
they have in reflecting on the uncertainty of 
life, the thought of the terrible account they 
must render, and the anticipation of eternal 
torments ? Consider the sentiments which such 
reflections must awaken in the sinner’s breast, 
and you will form some idea of the torments of 
his conscience. 

Of these torments one of the friends of Job 
spoke when he said; “ The wicked man is 
proud all his days, and the number of the years 
of his tyranny is uncertain. The sound of 
dread is always in his ears ”—the dread sound of 
an accusing conscience. “And when there is 
peace, he always suspecteth treason,” for he can¬ 
not escape the alarms and the warning cries of 
conscience. “He believeth not that he may 
return from darkness to light.” He believes it 
impossible to extricate himself from the terrible 
darkness which envelops him; he almost de¬ 
spairs of ever again enjoying the peace of a good 
conscience. “Looking round about for the 
sword on every side,” he is in constant dread of 
avenging justice. “When he moveth himself 
to seek bread he knoweth that the day of dark¬ 
ness is at hand.” Even at table, the place of 
mirth and rejoicing, the fear of judgment is 
upon him. “ Tribulation shall terrify him, and 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


167 


distress shall surround him, as a king that is 
prepared for the battle. For he hath stretched 
out his hand'against God, and hath strengthened 
himself against the Almighty.” * 

Thus does Holy Scripture portray the tor¬ 
ments of which the heart of the sinner is botli 
the theatre and the victim. A philosopher has 
wisely said that by an eternal law of God it is 
ordained that fear should be the inseparable 
companion of evil; and this is confirmed by 
Solomon, who tells us : “ The wicked man fleetli 
when no man pursueth, but the just, bold as a 
lion, shall be without dread.” f This thought 
is also expressed by St. Augustine, who says : 
4 ‘ Thou hast ordained, 0 Lord ! that every soul 
in which disorder reigns should be a torment to 
herself; and truly it is so.”| Nature teaches 
us the same. Does not every creature suffer for 
infringing the law of its being ? Consider the 
pain which follows the displacement of a bone 
in the body. What violence a creature endures 
when out of its element! How quickly does 
sickness follow when the different parts of the 
body are not in harmony ! Since, then, it be¬ 
longs to a rational creature to lead a regular 
life, how can he escape suffering, how can he 
fail to become his own torment, when he dis¬ 
regards the laws of reason and the order of Di¬ 
vine Providence? “Who hath resisted God 
and hath had peace ?** § Hence we see that 
creatures who submit to the order of God en¬ 
joy a peace and security which abandon them 

* Job XV. 20-2G. t Prov. xxviii. 1. 

t ‘'Couf.,”i.l2. § Job. lx. 4. 


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the moment they resist this divine law. Man, 
in his innocence, was absolute master of himself ; 
hut after his disobedience he lost his peaceful 
empire and began to experience remorse and an 
interior warfare against himself. 

“Is there any greater torment in this world,” 
asks St. Ambrose, “ than remorse of con¬ 
science ? Is it not a misery more to be feared 
than sickness, than exile, than loss of life or 
liberty ?” * “There is nothing,” says St. Isidore, 
“from which man cannot fly, save from him¬ 
self. Let him go where he will, he cannot 
escape the pursuit of an accusing conscience.” 
The same Father adds elsewhere : “ There is no 
torment which exceeds that of a guilty con¬ 
science. If, then, you desire to live in peace, 
live in the practice of virtue.” 

This truth is so manifest that even pagan 
philosophers acknowledged it. “ What doth it 
avail thee,” says Seneca, “to fly from the con¬ 
versation of men ? For as a good conscience 
may call all the world to witness its truth, so a 
bad conscience will be tormented by a thousand 
fears, a thousand anxieties, even in a desert. If 
thy action be good all the world may witness 
it; if it be evil what will it avail thee to hide 
it from others, since thou canst not hide it from 
thyself ? Alas for thee if thou makest no ac¬ 
count of such a witness, for its testimony is 
worth that of a thousand others.” f “ Great,” 
says Cicero, “ is the power of conscience ; no¬ 
thing can more effectually condemn or acquit a 
man. It raises the innocent above all fear and 

* “De Officiis,” L. iii. c. 4. t Epist. 97. 


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169 


keeps the guilty in perpetual alarm.” This is 
one of the eternal torments of the wicked, for it 
begins even in this life and will continue for 
ever in the life to come. It is the undying 
worm mentioned by Isaias.* 

Having thus seen the sad effects of an evil 
conscience, we will be enabled to realize more 
fully the blessed peace which the just enjoy. 

Virtue shelters them from the remorse and 
sufferings which have been described as the lot 
of the wicked. The consolations and sweet 
fruits of the Holy Ghost fill them with joy and 
transform the soul into a terrestrial paradise, 
where He is pleased to take up His abode. 
“ The joy of a good conscience,” says St. Au¬ 
gustine, “ makes the soul a true paradise.” f 
And elsewhere J he says : “ Be assured, ye who 
seek that true peace promised to a future life, 
that you may here enjoy it by anticipation, if 
you will but love and keep the commandments 
of Him Who promises this reward ; for you will 
soon find by experience, that the fruits of jus¬ 
tice are sweeter than those of iniquity. You 
will learn that the joys of virtue, even in the 
midst of trials and misfortunes, far exceed all 
the delights of pleasure and prosperity accom¬ 
panied by the remorse of a bad conscience.” 

Sin, as we have said, finds in its baseness and 
enormity its own punishment; so virtue finds 
in its beauty and worth its own reward. David 
teaches us this truth : “ The judgments of the 
Lord ”,—that is. His holy commandments— 

t “ De Gen. nd Lit.,” L. xii. c. 34. 

X “Lib. do Cat.,” ii. 9. 


* lxvi. 24. 


170 


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“ are true, justified in themselves. More to be 
desired than gold and precious stones, and 
sweeter than honey and the .honeycomb.” * 
This was his own experience, for he says : “ I 
have been delighted in the way of thy testimo¬ 
nies, as in all riches.” f The chief cause of this 
joy is the dignity and beauty of virtue, which, 
as Plato declares, is incomparably fair and love¬ 
ly. Finally, so great are the advantages of a 
good conscience that, according to St. Am¬ 
brose, they constitute in this life the happiness 
of the just. 

The ancient philosophers, as we have seen, 
though deprived of the light of faith, knew the 
torments of a guilty conscience. Nor were 
they ignorant of the joy of a good conscience, 
as we learn from Cicero, who, in his “ Tuscu- 
lan Questions,” says : “ A life spent in noble 
and honorable deeds brings such consolations 
with it that just men are either insensible to 
the trials of life or feel them very little.” The 
same author adds elsewhere that virtue has 
no more brilliant, no more honorable thea¬ 
tre than that in which the applause of con¬ 
science is heard. Socrates, being asked who could 
live free from passion, answered: “ He w T ho lives 
virtuously.” And Bias, another celebrated phi¬ 
losopher, gave almost the same reply to a similar 
question. “Who,” he was asked, “can live 
without fear ? ” “ He who has the testimony 

of a good conscience,” he replied. Seneca, in 
one of his epistles, wrote : “ A wise man is al¬ 
ways cheerful, and his cheerfulness comes from 

* Pe. xviii. 10, 11, + Pe. cxviii. 14. 


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171 


a good conscience.” If pagan philosophers, 
knowing nothing of future rewards, so justly 
esteemed the peace of a good conscience, how 
dearly should a Christian prize it ! This testi¬ 
mony of a good conscience does not, however, 
exclude that salutary fear with which we must 
work out our salvation ; but such a fear, so far 
from discouraging us, inspires ns with marvel¬ 
lous courage in the fulfilment of our duties. 
We feel, in the depth of our hearts, that our 
confidence is better founded when moderated 
by this holy fear, without which it would be 
only a false security and a vain presumption. 

It was of this privilege that the Apostle spoke 
when he said : “ Our glory is this : the testi¬ 
mony of our conscience, that in simplicity of 
heart and sincerity of God, and not in carnal 
wisdom, but in the grace of God, we have con¬ 
versed in this world.” * 

We have endeavored to explain this privilege 
of virtue, but, despite all that could be said, 
there is nothing save experience that can give 
us a keen realization of it. 


* S Cor. i. 12. 


172 


The Sumer’s Guide. 


CHAPTER XVII. 

THE SIXTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE ! THE COKFI- 
DEXCE OF THE JUST. 

T HE joy of a good conscience is always ac¬ 
companied by that blessed hope of which 
the Apostle speaks when he tells us to re¬ 
joice in hope and to be patient in tribula¬ 
tion.* This is the rich inheritance of the chil¬ 
dren of God, their general refuge in tribulation, 
and their most efficacious remedy against all 
the miseries of life. 

Before entering upon this subject we must 
bear in mind that as there are two kinds of 
faith, one barren and dead, the other living 
and strengthened by charity, fruitful in good 
works ; so there are two kinds of hope—one 
barren, which gives the soul no light in dark¬ 
ness, no strength in weakness, no consolation 
in tribulation ; the other “ lively,” f which con¬ 
soles us in sorrow, strengthens us in labor, and 
sustains us in all the dangers and trials of this 
world. 

This living hope works in the soul many 
marvellous effects, which increase according as 
the charity which accompanies it becomes 
more ardent. The first of these effects is the 
strength which supports man under the labors 
of life by holding before his eyes the eternal 
reward reserved for him ; for, in the opinion of 
the Saints, the stronger this hope of reward the 

* Rom. xii. 12. t 1 St. Peter i. 3. 


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173 


greater is man’s courage in overcoming obsta¬ 
cles in the path of virtue. “ Hope,” says St. 
Gregory, “ fixes our hearts so steadfastly upon, 
the joys of Heaven that we are insensible to the 
miseries of this life.” “ The hope of future 
glory,” Origen tells us, “ sustains the just under 
the trials of life, as the hope of victory supports 
the soldier during battle.” “ If the furious 
tempests of the sea,” says St. Chrysostom, 
“ cannot daunt the sailor; if hard frosts 
and withering blight cannot discourage the 
farmer ; if neither wounds nor death itself af¬ 
fright the soldier ; if neither falls nor blows 
dishearten the wrestler, because of the fleeting 
recompense they hope from their labors, how 
much greater should be the courage of a Chris¬ 
tian, who is toiling for an eternal reward! 
Therefore, consider not the roughness of the 
path of virtue, but rather the end to which it 
leads ; look not upon the pleasures which strew 
the path of vice, but rather upon the precipice 
to which it is hurrying you.” Who is so fool¬ 
ish as willingly to pursue a path, though strewn 
with flowers, if it lead to destruction ? Who, 
on the contrary, would not choose a rugged and 
difficult path, if it lead to life and happiness ? 

Holy Scripture is full of commendations of 
this blessed hope. “ The eyes of the Lord,” the 
prophet Hanani tells King Asa, “behold all 
the earth, and give strength to them that with 
a perfect heart trust in Him.”* “ The Lord is 
good to them that hope in Him, and to the 
soul that seeketh Him.” f “ The Lord is good, 

* 2 Par. xvi. 9. t Lara. iii. 25. 


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and giveth strength in tlie day of trouble, and 
knoweth them that hope in Him.” * “If you 
return and be quiet, you shall be saved ; in si¬ 
lence and in hope shall your strength be.” f By 
silence the prophet here signifies that interior 
calm and sweet peace experienced by the soul 
amid all her troubles, and which is the result 
of that hope in God’s mercy which expels all 
fear. “ Ye that fear the Lord, hope in Him, 
and mercy shall come to you for your delight. 
My children, behold the generations of men, and 
know ye that no one hath hoped in the Lord 
and hath been confounded.” \ “ Mercy shall 

encompass him that hopeth in the Lord.” § 
Mark the strength of this word encompass , by 
which the prophet teaches us that a virtuous 
man is shielded by God’s protection, as a king 
surrounded by his guards. Read the Psalms, 
and you will see how beautifully David speaks 
of the power and merit of divine hope. 

In one of his sermons St. Bernard dwells at 
some length on this virtue, and concludes by 
saying: “ Faith teaches us that God has ines¬ 
timable rewards reserved for His faithful ser¬ 
vants. Hope answers, ‘ It is for me that they 
are prepared’; and Charity, inspired by Hope, 
cries out, ‘I will hasten to possess them.’” 

Behold, then, the happy fruits of hope ! It 
is a port of refuge from the storms of life ; it 
is a buckler against the attacks of the world ; 
it is a storehouse to supply us in the time of 
famine; it is the shade and tent of which 


* Nahum i. 7. 

X Ecclus. ii. 9,11. 


t Isaias xxx. 15. 
§ Ps. xxxi. 10. 


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175 


Isaias spoke, to protect us from the heat of 
summer and the frosts of winter ; in fine, it is 
a remedy for all our evils, for there is no doubt 
that all we confidently and justly hope from 
God will be granted to us, if for our welfare. 
Hence St. Cyprian says that God’s mercy is a 
healing fountain, and hope a vessel into which 
its waters flow. Therefore, the larger the ves¬ 
sel the more abundantly will we receive of these 
waters. God told the children of Israel that 
every place upon which they set their feet 
should be theirs. So every salutary blessing 
upon which man fixes his hope will be granted 
to him. Hope, then, for all blessings, and you 
will obtain them. Thus we see that this vir¬ 
tue is an imitation of the divine power ; for, 
says St. Bernard, nothing so faanifests the 
power of God as the omnipotence with which 
ITe invests those who hope in Him. Witness 
Josue, at whose command the sun stood still; 
or Ezechiel, who bade King Ezechias choose 
whether he would have the sun advance or go 
backward in his course, as a sign from God. 

In studying the inestimable treasures of hope 
you have some idea of one of the blessings of 
which the wicked are deprived. Whatever 
hope remains to them is dead ; destroyed by 
sin, it can produce none of the glorious fruits 
we have been considering. Distrust and fear 
as inevitably accompany a bad conscience as the 
shadow does the body. Hence the happiness 
of the sinner is the measure of his hope. He 
sets his heart upon the vanities and follies of 
the world ; lie rejoices in them; he glories in 


176 


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them ; and in them he hopes in the time of 
affliction. It is of such hope that God speaks 
when He says : “ The hope of the wicked is as 
dust, which is blown away with the winds, and 
as a thin froth which is dispersed by the storm; 
and a smoke which is scattered abroad by the 
wind.” * Can you imagine a weaker or a vainer 
confidence than this ? But it is not only vain, 
it is deceptive and injurious. “Woe to them 
that go down to Egypt for help, trusting in 
horses, and putting their confidence in chariots, 
because they are many; and in horsemen, be¬ 
cause they are very strong; and have not trusted 
in the Holy One of Israel, and have not sought 
after the Lord. Egypt is man, and not God ; 
and their horses flesh, and not spirit; and the 
Lord shall pulldown His hand, and the helper 
shall fall, and he that is helped shall fall, and 
they shall all be confounded together.” f 

Behold, dear Christian, the difference be¬ 
tween the hope of the just and the hope of the 
wicked. One is of the flesh, the other of the 
spirit; one is centred in man, the other in God. 
And even as God exceeds man, so does the hope 
of the just exceed that of the sinner. There¬ 
fore, the prophet exhorts us: “Put not your 
trust in princes; in the children of men, in 
whom there is no salvation. Blessed is he who 
hath the God of Jacob for his helper, whose 
hope is in the Lord his God; Who made heaven 
and earth, the sea, and all things that are in 
them.” X “ Some trust in chariots, and some in 
horses; but we will call upon the name of the 

* Wisdom y. 15. + Isaias xxxi. 1, 3. % Ps. cxlv. 3, 5, 6. 


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177 


Lord our God. They are bound, and have fall¬ 
en ; but we are risen, and are set upright.” * 
Thus we see that our hopes are realized accord¬ 
ing to that upon which they rest—in ruin and 
destruction, or in honor and victory. 

Therefore, he whose hope is fixed upon the 
things of this world is rightly compared to the 
man in the Gospel who built his house upon the 
sand and beheld it beaten down by the rain 
and winds ; while he whose hope is fixed upon 
the things of Heaven is like the man whose 
house was built upon a rock, and which stood 
unshaken amidst the storms, f “ Cursed be 
he,” cries out the prophet, “ that trusteth in 
man, and maketli flesh his arm, and whose heart 
departeth from the Lord. For he shall be like 
tamaric J in the desert, and het» shall not see 
when good shall come; but he shall dwell in 
dryness in the desert, in a salt land and not in¬ 
habited. But blessed be the man that trusteth 
in the Lord, and the Lord shall be his confi¬ 
dence ; and he shall be as a tree that is plant¬ 
ed by the waters, that spreadeth out its roots 
towards moisture ; and it shall not fear when 
the heat cometh. And the leaf thereof shall 
be green, and in the time of drought it shall 
not be solicitous, neither shall it cease at any 
time to bring forth fruit.” § 

Can there be any misery compared to life 
without hope ? To live without hope is to live 
without God. If this support be taken from 
man, what remains for him ? There is no na- 

* Ps. xix. 8, 9. t St. Matt. vii. £ A barren shrub. 

% Jer. xvii. 5-9. 


178 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


tion, however barbarous, that has not some 
knowledge of a god whom they worship and in 
whom they hope. When Moses was absent for a 
short time from the children of Israel they ima¬ 
gined themselves without God, and in their igno¬ 
rance they besought Aaron to give them a god, 
for they feared to continue without one. Thus 
we see that human nature, though ignorant of 
the true God, instinctively acknowledges the ne¬ 
cessity of a Supreme Being, and, recognizing its 
own weakness, turns to God for assistance and 
support. As the ivy clings to a tree, and as 
woman naturally depends on man, so human 
nature in its weakness and poverty seeks the 
protection and assistance of God. How deplo¬ 
rable, then, is the condition of those who de¬ 
prive themselves of His support! Whither can 
they turn for comfort in trials, for relief in 
sickness ? Of whom will they seek protection 
in dangers, counsel in difficulties ? If the body 
cannot live without the soul, how can the soul 
live without God ? If hope, as we have said, 
be the anchor of life, how can we trust our¬ 
selves without it on the stormy sea of the 
world ? If hope be our buckler, liow can we 
go without it into the midst of our foes ? 

What we have said must sufficiently show us 
that an infinite distance separates the hope of 
the just from that of the wicked. The hope of 
the just man is in God, and that of the wicked 
is in the staff of Egypt, which breaks and 
wounds the hand which sought its support. 
For when man leans upon such a reed God 
wishes to snake him sensible of his error by 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


179 


the sorrow and shame of his fall. We have an 
example of this in God’s treatment of Moab: 
“Because thou hast trusted in thy bulwarks, 
and in thy treasures, thou also shalt be taken : 
and Chamos * shall go into captivity, his priests, 
and his princes together.” f Consider what a 
support that is which brings ruin upon those 
who invoke it. 

Behold, then, dear Christian, how great is 
this privilege of hope, which, though it appear 
one with the special providence of which we 
have been treating, differs from it, neverthe¬ 
less, as the effect differs from the cause. For 
though the hope of the just proceeds from 
several causes, such as the goodness of God, 
the truth of His promises, the merits of Christ, 
yet its principal foundation is this paternal 
providence. It is this which excites our hope; 
for who could fail in confidence, knowing the 
fatherly care that God has for us all ? 


CHAPTER XVIII. 

THE SEVENTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE I THE 
TRUE LIBERTY OF THE JUST. 

F ROM the privileges we have been consider¬ 
ing, but particularly from the graces of 
the Holy Spirit and His divine consola¬ 
tions, there arises a seventh, though no 
less marvellous, privilege, which is true liberty 

* The god of the Moabites. + Jer. xlviii. 7. 



180 


The Sinners Guide . 


of the soul. The Son of God brought this 
gift to men; hence He is called the Redeemer, 
or Deliverer, for He freed mankind from the 
slavery of sin, and restored them to the true 
liberty of the children of God. This is one of 
the greatest of God’s favors, one of the most 
signal benefits of the Gospel, and one of the 
principal effects of the Holy Ghost. “ Where 
the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” * 
This liberty is one of the most magnificent re¬ 
wards which God has promised to His servants 
in this life: “If you continue in My word, 
you shall be My disciples indeed. And you 
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make 
you free.” To this the Jews answered : “We 
.are the seed of Abraham, and we have never 
been slaves to any man; how gayest Thou: You 
shall be free ? Jesus answered them: Amen, 
amen I say unto you, that whosoever commit- 
teth sin is the servant of sin. Now the servant 
abideth not in the house for ever ; but the son 
abideth for ever. If, therefore, the son shall 
make you free, you shall be free indeed.” f 
Our Saviour teaches us by these words that 
there are two kinds of liberty. The first is the 
liberty of those who are doubtless free in body, 
but whose souls are enslaved by sin, as Alexan¬ 
der the Great, who, though master of the world, 
was a slave to his own vices. The second is 
that true liberty which is the portion of those 
whose souls are free from the bondage of sin, 
though their bodies may be held in chains. 
Witness the great Apostle, whose mind, despite 

* 2 Cor. ill. 17. + St. John viii. 81-37. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


181 


his fetters, soared to Heaven, and whose preach¬ 
ing and doctrine freed the world. To such a 
condition we unhesitatingly give the glorious 
name of liberty. For the noblest part of man 
is the soul; in a measure it constitutes man. 
The body is merely matter vivified by the soul. 
Hence, only he whose soul is at liberty is truly 
free, and he whose soul is in bondage, however 
free his body may be, possesses only the sem¬ 
blance of liberty. 

How, the sinner is in bondage under sin, the 
most cruel of tyrants. The torments of hell 
are but the effects of sin; consider, then, how 
horrible sin itself must be. It is to this cruel 
tyrant that the wicked are enslaved, for our 
Saviour tells us: “ Whosoever committeth sin is 
the servant of sin.” * Nor is the sinner a slave 
to sin only, but to all that incites him to sin 
—that is, to the world, the devil, and the flesh 
with all its disorderly appetites. These three 
powers are the sources of all sin, and, there¬ 
fore, are called the three enemies of the soul, 
because they imprison her and surrender her 
to a most pitiless master. The first two pow¬ 
ers make use of the flesh, as Satan made use of 
Eve, to tempt and incite us to every kind of 
iniquity. Therefore, the Apostle calls flesh sin - , 
giving the name of the effect to the cause, for 
there is no evil to which man is not incited by 
the flesh, f For this reason theologians term it 
fomes peccafi —that is, the germ and fuel of sin ; 
for, like wool and oil, it serves to feed the fire of 
sin. It is more commonly called sensuality, or 

* St. John viii. 34. t Rom. vii. 


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The Sinner's Guide. 


concupiscence, which, to speak more plainly, is 
our sensual appetite. Hence, St. Basil tells us 
that our desires are the principal arms with 
which the devil makes war upon us ; for, carried 
away by the immoderate desires of the flesh, we 
seek to gratify them by any means in our power, 
regardless of God’s law. From this disorder 
all sin arises. 

This appetite of the flesh is one of the great¬ 
est tyrants to whom, in the language of the 
Apostle, the sinner has made himself a slave. 
By this we do not mean that the sinner loses 
his free-will, for free-will is never lost, liow r ever 
great the multitude of his crimes. But fein so 
weakens the will, and so strengthens the appe¬ 
tites of the flesh, that the stronger naturally 
prevails over the weaker. What is there more 
painful than the consequences of such a victory ? 
Man possesses a soul made to the image of God, 
a mind capable of rising above creatures to the 
contemplation of God ; yet he despises all these 
privileges and places himself in subjection to 
the base appetites of a flesh corrupted by sin 
and incited and directed by the devil. What 
can man expect from such a guidance, or rather 
from such a bondage, but innumerable falls and 
incomparable misfortunes ? 

Our souls may be considered as consisting of 
two parts, which theologians call the superior 
and the inferior part. The first is the seat of 
the will and of reason, the natural light with 
which God endowed us at creation. This noble 
and beautiful gift of reason makes man the 
image of God and capable of enjoying God, and 


Tlte Sinner’s Guide . 


183 


raises him to a companionship with the Angels. 
The inferior part of the soul is the seat of the 
sensual appetites, which- have been given to us 
to aid us in procuring the necessities of life and 
in preserving the human race. But these appe¬ 
tites are blind—they must follow the guidance 
of reason. They are unfitted to command, and, 
therefore, like good stewards, they should act 
only in obedience to their master. Alas ! how 
often do we see this order reversed! How 
often do we behold the servant become the 
master ! 

How many men are so enslaved by their ap¬ 
petites that they will outrage every law of 
justice and reason to gratify the sensual desires 
of their hearts ! They carry their folly still 
farther, and make the noble faculty of reason 
w'ait upon their base appetites and furnish them 
with means to attain their unlawful desires. 
For when man devotes the powers of his mind 
to the invention of new fashions in dress, new 
pleasures in eating ; when he strives to excel 
his fellow-men in wealth and voluptuous luxu¬ 
ries, does he not turn his soul from the noble 
and spiritual duties suited to her nature, and 
make her the slave of the flesh ? When he de¬ 
votes his genius to the composition of odes and 
sonnets to the object of a sinful love, does he 
not debase his reason beneath this vile passion ? 
Seneca, though a pagan, blushed at such degra¬ 
dation, saying: “ I was born for nobler things 
than to be a slave to the flesh.” * Notwith¬ 
standing the folly and enormity of this disorder, 

* Epist. 65. 


184 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


it is so common among us that we give it little 
attention. As St. Bernard says: “We are in¬ 
sensible to the odor of our crimes, because they 
are so numerous.” In the country of the Moors 
no one feels affronted if called black, because it 
is the color of all the inhabitants. So where 
the vice of drunkenness prevails no one thinks it 
disgraceful to drink to excess, notwithstanding 
the degrading nature of this sin. Yes, the 
bondage of the flesh is so general that few realize 
its enormity. How complete, therefore, is this 
servitude, and how great must be the punish¬ 
ment reserved for one who delivers so noble a 
creature as reason into the hands of so cruel a 
tyrant! It is from this slavery that the Wise 
Man prays to be delivered when he asks that 
the inordinate desires of the flesh be taken from 
him, and that he be not given over to a shame¬ 
less and foolish mind.* 

If you would know the power of this tyranny 
you have only to consider the evils it has 
wrought since the beginning of the world. I 
will not set before you the inventions of the 
poets on this subject, or the example of their 
famous hero, Hercules, who, after destroying or 
subduing all the monsters of the world, was 
himself so enslaved by the love of an impure 
woman that he abandoned his club for a distaff, 
and all future feats of valor, to sit and spin 
among the maidens of his haughty mistress. It 
•is a wise invention of the poets to show the 
arbitrary power this passion exercises over its 
victims. Nor will I quote from Holy Scripture 

* Ecclus. xxiii. 6. 


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185 


the example of Solomon, the wisest of men, en¬ 
slaved by sensual affections, and so far forget¬ 
ting the true God as to build temples to the 
idols of liis sinful companions. But I will 
give you an illustration which, alas ! is not an 
uncommon occurrence. Consider, for instance, 
all that a married woman risks by abandoning 
herself to an unlawful love. We choose this 
passion from among the rest to show you the 
strength of the others. She cannot but know 
that should her husband discover her crime he 
may kill her in his anger, and thus in one mo¬ 
ment she will lose her reputation, her children, 
her life, her soul, all that she can desire in this 
life or the next. She knows, moreover, that 
her disgrace will fall upon her children, her 
parents, her brothers, her sisters, and all her 
race; yet so great is the strength of this pas¬ 
sion, or rather the power of this tyrant, that she 
tramples all these considerations under foot to 
obey its dictates. Was there ever a master 
more cruel in his exactions ? Can you imagine 
a more miserable, a more absolute servitude ? 

Yet such is the bondage in which the wicked 
live. “They are seated in darkness and the 
shadow of death,” says the projihet, “hungry 
and bound with chains.” * What is this dark¬ 
ness, if not the deplorable blindness of the 
wicked, who neither know themselves nor their 
Maker, nor the end for w&ch they were created? 
They see not the vanity of the things upon 
which they have set their hearts, and they are 
insensible to the bondage in which they live. 

* Ps. cvi. 10. 


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What arc the chains which bind them so cruelly, 
if not the ties of their disorderly affections ? 
And is not this hunger which consumes them 
the insatiable desire for things which they can 
never obtain ? 

Not unfrequently the gratification of man’s 
inordinate desires, so far from satisfying him, 
only creates other more violent passions, as we 
learn from the example of Amnon, the wicked 
son of David, who could neither eat nor rest 
because of his love for Tliamar; but he no 
sooner obtained possession of her than he hated 
her even more intensely than he had loved 
her. * 

Such is the condition of all who are enslaved 
by this vice. They cease to be masters of them¬ 
selves ; it allows them no rest; they can neither 
think nor speak of anything else ; it fills their 
dreams at night; and nothing, not even the 
fear of God, the interests of their souls, the loss 
of their honor, or life itself, can turn them from 
their course or break the guilty 7 ' chains which 
bind them. Consider also the jealousy and 
suspicions with which they are tormented, and 
the dangers of body and soul which they will¬ 
ingly risk for these base pleasures. Was there 
ever a master who exercised such cruelty 
towards a slave as this tyrant inflicts upon the 
heart of his victims ? Hence we read that 
‘•wine and women nfcike wise men fall off.”f 
Most fitly are these two passions classed to¬ 
gether, for the vice of impurity renders a man 
as little master of himself, and unfits him for 

* 2 Kings xiii. + Ecclns. xix. 2. 


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187 


the duties of life, as completely as if robbed of 
the use of bis senses by wine. The great Latin 
poet admirably paints the power of this passion 
in the example of Dido, Queen of Carthage. 
She no sooner falls in love with iEneas than she 
abandons the care of public affairs; the walls 
and fortifications of the city are left unfinished ; 
public works are suspended ; the youth are no 
longer exercised in the noble profession of arms ; 
the harbors are left defenceless, and the city 
unprotected. Enslaved by this tyrannical pas¬ 
sion, Dido is unfitted for the duties of her posi¬ 
tion ; all the powers of her great genius are 
concentrated upon the object of her love. Oh ! 
fatal passion ! Oh ! pestilential vice, destroying 
families and overthrowing kingdoms ! It is 
the poison of souls, the death of genius, the 
folly of old age, the madness of youth, and the 
bane of mankind. 

But this is not the only vice which reduces 
man to slavery. Study one who is a victim to 
pride or ambition, and see how eagerly he 
grasps at honors, how he makes them the end 
of all his actions. IIis house, his servants, his 
table, his dress, his gait, his bearing, his prin¬ 
ciples are all fashioned to excite the applause 
of the world ; his words and actions are but 
baits to win admiration. If we wonder at the 
folly of the Emperor Domitian, armed with a 
bodkin and spending his leisure in the pursuit 
of flies, how much more astonishing and piti¬ 
able it is to see a man devote not only his 
leisure but a lifetime to the pursuit of worldly 
vanities which cannot but end in smoke ! Be- 


188 


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hold how he enslaves himself ! He cannot do 
his own will; he cannot dress to please him¬ 
self ; he cannot go where he chooses; nay, 
many times he dares not enter a church or con¬ 
verse with virtuous souls, lest his master, the 
world, should ridicule him. To satisfy his 
ambition he imposes upon himself innumerable 
privations; he lives above his income ; he 
squanders his means; he robs his children of 
their inheritance, and leaves them only the 
burden of his debts and the evil example of his 
follies. What punishment is more lilting for 
such madness than that which we are told a 
certain king inflicted upon an ambitious man, 
whom he condemned to be executed by having- 
smoke poured into his nostrils till he expired, 
saying to the unhappy victim that as he had 
lived for smoke, so it was fit that he should die 
by smoke ? 

What shall w T e say of the avaricious man, 
whose money is his master and his god ? Is it 
not in this idol that he finds his comfort and 
his glory? Is it not the end of all his labors, 
the object of his hopes? For it does he hesi¬ 
tate to neglect body and soul, to deny himself 
the necessaries of life ? Is he restrained even 
by the fear of God ? Can such a man be said 
to be master of his treasures ? On the contrary, 
is he not their slave as completely as if he were 
created for his money, and not liis money for 
him ? 

Can there be a more terrible slavery ? We 
call a man a captive who is placed in prison and 
bound with chains, but his bondage does not 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


189 


equal that of a man whose soul is the slave of 
an inordinate affection. Such a man vainly 
thinks himself free, but no power of his soul 
enjoys true liberty; his free-will, weakened 
by sin, is the only possession which remains 
to him. It matters little what fetters bind 
man, if the nobler part of his soul be cap¬ 
tive. Nor does the fact that he lias volun¬ 
tarily assumed these chains make his bondage 
less real or less ignominious. The sweetness 
of a poison by no means diminishes its fatal 
effects. 

A man who is the slave of a passion is un¬ 
ceasingly tormented by desires which he cannot 
satisfy and will not curb. So strong is the 
bondage of the unhdppy victim that when lie 
endeavors to regain his liberty he meets with 
such resistance that frequently he despairs of 
succeeding and returns to his chains. 

If these miserable captives were held by one 
chain only, there would be more hope of their 
deliverance. But how numerous are the fetters 
which bind them ! Man is subject to many 
necessities, each of which excites some desire ; 
therefore, the greater the number of our inordi¬ 
nate desires the more numerous our chains. This 
bondage is stronger in some than in others : 
there are men of such tenacious disposition that 
it is only with difficulty they reject what has 
once taken possession of their imaginations. 
Others are of a melancholy temperament and 
cling with gloomy obstinacy to their desires. 
Many are so narrow-minded that the most in¬ 
significant object cannot escape their covetous- 


190 


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ness. This accords with the saying of Seneca 
that to small souls trifles assume vast propor¬ 
tions. Others, again, are naturally vehement in 
all their desires ; this is generally the character 
of women, who, as a philosopher observes, must 
either love or hate, for it is difficult for them to 
observe a just medium. If the misery of serv¬ 
ing one arbitrary master be so great, what must 
be the suffering of the unhappy man who is en¬ 
slaved by as many masters as there are ungov¬ 
erned affections in his heart ? If the dignity 
of man depend upon his reason and free-will, 
what can there be more fatal to this dignity 
than passion, which obscures the reason and en¬ 
slaves the will ? Without these powers he de¬ 
scends to the level of the brute. 

From this miserable slavery the Son of God 
has delivered us. By the superabundant grace 
of God we have been redeemed; by the sacrifice 
of the cross we have been purchased. Hence 
the Apostle tells us that “ our old man—our 
sensual appetite—is crucified with Christ.” * 
By the merits of His crucifixion we have been 
strengthened to subdue and crucify our ene¬ 
mies, inflicting upon them the suffering which 
they caused us to endure, and reducing to 
slavery the tyrants whom we formerly served. 
Thus do we verify the words of Isaias*: “ They 
shall make them captives that had taken them, 
and shall subdue their oppressors.” f Before 
the reign of grace the flesh ruled the spirit and 
made it the slave of the most depraved desires. 
But strengthened by grace the spirit rules the 

* Rom. vi. 6. + Ieaias xiv. 2. 


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191 


flesh and makes it the docile instrument of the 
noblest deeds. 

We find a forcible illustration of this defeat 
of the power of darkness and the triumph of 
truth in the example of King Adonibezec, 
whom the children of Israel put to death after 
cutting off his fingers and toes. In the midst 
of his suffering the unhappy king exclaimed : 
“ Seventy kings having their fingers and their 
toes cut off gathered up the leavings of the 
meat under my table; as I have done, so God 
hath requited me.”* This cruel tyrant is a fig¬ 
ure of the prince of this world, who has disabled 
the children of God by robbing them of the 
use of their noblest faculties, and thus render¬ 
ing them powerless to do any good. Keduced 
to so helpless a condition, he throws to them 
from the store of his vile pleasures what are 
fitly called crumbs, for the gratifications which 
sin brings are never able to satisfy the appetites 
of the wicked. See, then, that even of the 
brutal pleasures for which they bargained with 
Satan their cruel master will not give them suffi¬ 
cient. Christ came and by Ilis Passion over¬ 
came this enemy and compelled him to endure 
the same sufferings which he had inflicted on 
others. He cut off his members—that is, He de¬ 
prived him of his power and bound him hand 
and foot. Adonibezec, the Holy Scriptures tell 
us, suffered death in Jerusalem. In the same 
city our Saviour died to destroy the tyrant sin. 
It was after this great Sacrifice that men learned 
to conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil. 

* Judges i. 7. 


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Strengthened by the grace which Christ lias 
purchased for us, neither the pleasures of the 
world nor the power of Satan can force them to 
commit a mortal sin. 

You will ask, perhaps, what is the source of 
this liberty and the glorious victory which it 
enables us to gain. After God its source is 
grace, which, by means of the virtues it nour¬ 
ishes in us, subdues our passions and compels 
them to submit to the empire of reason. Cer¬ 
tain men are said to charm serpents to such a 
degree that, without injuring them or lessening 
their venom, they are rendered perfectly harm¬ 
less. In like manner grace so charms our pas¬ 
sions—the venomous reptiles of the flesh—that, 
though they continue to exist in our nature, 
they can no longer harm us or infect us with 
their poison. 

St. Paul expresses this truth with great clear¬ 
ness. After speaking at some length of the 
tyranny of our sensual appetites he concludes 
with the memorable words: “Unhappy man 
that I am, who will deliver me from the body 
of this death?” And he answers: “The 
grace of God by Jesus Christ our Lord.”* The 
body of death here mentioned by St. Paul is 
not the natural death of the body which all 
must undergo, but “the body of sin”f—our 
sensual appetites, the fruitful source of all 
our miseries. These are the tyrants from 
which the grace of God delivers us. 

A second source of this liberty is the joy of a 
good conscience and the spiritual consolations 

* Rom, vii. 24, 25. + Rom. vi. 6. 


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193 


experienced by the just. These so satisfy 
man’s thirst for happiness that he can easily 
resist the grosser pleasures of the flesh. Hav¬ 
ing found the fountain of all happiness, he de¬ 
sires no other pleasures. As our Saviour Him¬ 
self declared, “ Whoever will drink of the water 
that He will give him shall thirst no more/’ * 
St. Gregory thus develops this text: He who 
has experienced the sweetness of the spiritual 
life rejects the objects of his sensual love. He 
generously disposes of his treasures. His heart 
is inflamed with a desire for heavenly things. 
He sees but deformity in the beauty which for¬ 
merly allured him. His heart is filled with the 
water of life, and, therefore, he lias no thirst 
for the fleeting pleasures of the world. He finds 
the Lord of all things, and thus, in a measure, 
he becomes the master of all things, for in this 
one Good every other good is contained. 

Besides these two divine favors there is an¬ 
other means by which the liberty of the just is 
regained. This is the vigilant care with which 
the virtuous man unceasingly labors to bring 
the flesh under the dominion of reason. The 
passions are thereby gradually moderated, and 
lose that violence with which they formerly at¬ 
tacked the soul. Habit does much to cause 
this happy change, but when aided and con¬ 
firmed by grace its effects are truly wonderful. 
Accustomed to the influence of reason, our pas¬ 
sions seem to change their nature. They are 
no longer the fierce assailants of our virtue, but 
rather its submissive servants. 


* St. John iv. 13. 


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Hence it is that they who serve God very 
often find more pleasure, even sensible pleasure, 
in recollection, silence, pious reading, medita¬ 
tion, prayer, and other devout exercises, than 
in any worldly amusement. In this happy 
state the work of subduing the flesh is ren¬ 
dered very easy. Weakened as it is, the attacks 
it makes on us serve only as occasions of new 
conquests and new merits. Nevertheless the 
ease with which we win these victories should 
not disarm our prudence or render us less vigi¬ 
lant in guarding the senses as long as we arc 
on earth, however perfectly the flesh may be 
mortified. 

These are the principal sources of that mar¬ 
vellous liberty enjoyed by the just. This lib¬ 
erty inspires us with a new knowledge of God 
and confirms us in the practice of virtue. This 
we learn from the prophet : “ They shall know 
that I am the Lord when I shall have broken 
the bonds of their yoke, and shall have deliv¬ 
ered them out of the hand of those that rule 
over them.” * St. Augustine, who experienced 
the power of this yoke, says : “I was bound by 
no other fetters than my own iron will, which 
was in the possession of the enemy. With this 
he held me fast. From it sprang evil desires, 
and. in satisfying these evil desires I contracted 
a vicious habit. This habit was not resisted, 
and, increasing in strength as time passed, fin¬ 
ally became a necessity, which reduced me to 
the most cruel servitude.” f When a man who 
has long been oppressed by the bondage under 

* Ezech. xxxiv. 27. + “ Conf.,” viii. & 


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195 


which St. Augustine groaned turns to God, 
and sees his chains fall from him, his passions 
quelled, and the yoke which oppressed him ly¬ 
ing at his feet, he cannot but recognize in his 
deliverance the power of God’s grace. Filled 
with gratitude, he will cry out with the prophet: 
“ Thou hast broken my bonds, 0 Lord ! I will 
sacrifice to Thee a sacrifice of praise, and I 
will call upon the name of the Lord.”* 


CHAPTER XIX. 

THE EIGHTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE THE 
PEACE ENJOYED BY THE JUST. 

T HE liberty of the children of God is the 
cause of another privilege of virtue, no 
less precious than itself—the interior peace 
and tranquillity which the just enjoy. 
To understand this more clearly we must re¬ 
member that there are three kinds of peace : 
peace with God, peace with our neighbor, and 
peace with ourselves. Peace with God consists 
in the favor and friendship of God, and is one 
of the results of justification. The Ajoostle, 
speaking of this peace, says: “ Being justified, 
therefore, by faith, let us have peace with God 
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” f Peace with 
our neighbor consists in a friendly union with 
our fellow-men, which banishes from us all ill- 
will towards them. David enjoyed this peace 

* Ps. cxv. 7 . + Rom. v. 1. 



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when he said: “With them that hated peace 
I was peaceable; when I spoke to them they 
fought against me without cause.”* To this 
peace St. Paul exhorted the Romans: “As 
much as is in you, have peace with all men.” \ 
Peace with ourselves is the tranquillity arising 
from a good conscience, and the harmony ex¬ 
isting between the spirit and the flesh when the 
latter has been reduced to submission to the 
laws of reason. 

W~e will first consider the agitation and anx¬ 
iety of the sinner, in order more keenly to ap¬ 
preciate the blessing of holy peace. The wick¬ 
ed hearken to the flesh, and, therefore, they are 
never free from the disturbance caused by the 
unceasing and insatiable demands of their pas¬ 
sions. Deprived of God’s grace which can 
alone check their unruly appetites, they are a 
prey to innumerable desires. Some hunger for 
honors, titles, and dignities, others long for 
riches, honorable alliances, amusements, or sen¬ 
sual pleasures. But none of them will ever be 
fully satisfied, for passion is as insatiable as the 
daughters of the liorse-leecli, which continually 
cry out for more and more.J; This leech is 
the gnawing desire of our hearts, and its daugh¬ 
ters are necessity and concupiscence. The first 
is a real thirst, the second a fictitious thirst; 
but both are equally disturbing. Therefore, it 
is evident that without virtue man cannot 
know peace, either in poverty or riches; for in 
the former necessity allows him no ease, and 
in the latter sensuality is continually demand- 

* Pe. cxix. 7. t Rom. xii. 18. % Prov. xxx. 15. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


107 


ing more. What rest, what peace, can one en¬ 
joy in the midst of ceaseless cries which he 
cannot satisfy ? Could a mother know peace 
surrounded by children asking for bread which 
she could not give them ? 

This, then, is one of the greatest torments 
of the wicked. “ They hunger and thirst,” 
says the prophet, “ and their souls faint within 
them.”* Having placed their happiness in 
earthly things, they hunger and thirst for them 
as the object of all their hope. The fulfilment 
of desire, says Solomon, is the tree of life, f 
Consequently, there is nothing more torturing 
to the wicked than their unsatisfied desires. 
And the more their desires are thwarted the 
stronger and more intense they become. Their 
lives, then, are passed in wretched anxiety, 
constant war raging within them. The prodi¬ 
gal is a forcible illustration of the unhappy lot 
of the wicked. Like him, they separate them¬ 
selves from God and plunge into every vice. 
They abuse and squander all that God has given 
them. They go into a far country where fam¬ 
ine rages; and what is this country but the 
w r orld, so far removed from God, where men 
hunger with desires which can never be satis¬ 
fied, where, like ravenous wolves, they are con¬ 
stantly seeking more ? And how do such men 
understand the duties of life ? They recognize 
no higher duty than that of feeding swine. To 
satisfy the animal within them, to feed their 
swinish appetites, is their only aim. If you 
would be convinced of this study the life of 

* Ps. cvi. 5. t Prov. xiii. 12. 


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The Sinner's Guide. 


a worldling. From morning until night, and 
from night until morning, what is tlie object of 
his pursuit ? Is it not the gratification of 
some pleasure of sense, either of sight, of hear¬ 
ing, of taste, or of touch ? Does he not act as 
if he were a follower of Epicurus and not a 
disciple of Christ ? Does he seem to be con¬ 
scious that he possesses any faculty but those 
which ho has in common with the beasts ? For 
what does he live but to enjoy the grossest 
pleasures of the flesh ? What is the end of all 
his revels, his feasts, his balls, his gallantry, his 
luxurious couches, his enervating music, his 
degrading spectacles, but to afford new delights 
to the flesh ? Give all this what name you will 
—fashion, refinement, elegance—in the lan¬ 
guage of God and the Gospel it is feeding 
swine. For as swine love to wallow in the 
mire, so these depraved hearts delight to wallow 
in the mire of sensual pleasures. 

But what is most deplorable in this condi¬ 
tion is that a son of such noble origin, born to 
partake of the Bread of Angels at God’s own 
table, would feed upon husks which cannot 
even satisfy his hunger. In truth, the world 
cannot gratify its votaries. They are so nume¬ 
rous that, like swine grunting and fighting for 
acorns at the foot of an oak, they quarrel and 
wrest from one another the pleasures and grati¬ 
fications for which they hunger. 

This is the miserable condition which David 
described when he said: “ They wandered'in a 
wilderness, in a place without water. They 
were hungry and thirsty ; their soul fainted in 


The Sinner's Guide. 


190 


them.” * A terrible characteristic of this hun¬ 
ger is that it is increased by the gratifications 
which are meant to appease it. The poisoned 
cup of this world kindles in the hearts of the 
wicked a fire to which pleasures only add re¬ 
newed heat. Is it strange that they are con¬ 
sumed by a burning thirst ? Unhappy man ! 
whence is it that you thirst so cruelly, if it be 
not that you “ have forsaken the fountain of 
living waters, and sought broken cisterns which 
can hold no water” ? f You have mistaken the 
source of happiness. You wander in a wilder¬ 
ness, and, therefore, you faint with hunger and 
thirst. When Holofernes besieged Bethulia he 
cut off the aqueducts, leaving to the besieged 
but a few little streams which served only to 
moisten their lips. The besieged city is an 
image of your condition. You have cut your¬ 
selves off from the source of living waters, and 
you find in creatures the little springs which 
may moisten your lips, but, far from allaying 
your thirst, will only increase it. 

The blindness and vehemence of our desires 
often make us long for what we cannot possibly 
obtain ; and when, after violent efforts, the ob¬ 
ject of our pursuit eludes our grasp, anger is 
added to our disappointment, and both combine 
to throw us into a state of confusion. This 
gives rise to that internal warfare mentioned by 
St. James when lie asks : “ Whence are wars 
and contentions among you ? Are they not 
from your concupiscences, which war in your 
members ? You covet, and have not.” J An- 

* Ps. cvi. 4, 5. + Jer. ii. 13. X St. James iv. 1, 2. 


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other lamentable feature of this condition is 
that very often when men have attained the 
summit of their wishes they are seized with a 
desire for some other worldly advantage, and if 
their caprice be not gratified all they possess is 
powerless to comfort them. Their unsatisfied 
desire is a continual thorn. It poisons all their 
pleasure. 

“ There is also another evil,” says Solomon, 
“ wdiich I have seen under the sun, and which 
is frequent among men. A man to whom God 
hath given riches, and substance, and honor, 
and his soul wanteth nothing of all that he de- 
si reth ; yet God doth not give him power to 
eat thereof, but a stranger shall eat it up. This 
is vanity and a great misery.” * Does not the 
Wise Man here clearly point out the wretched 
condition of one in the midst of abundance, and 
yet unhappy because of his unsatisfied desires ? 

If such be the condition of those who possess 
the goods of the world, how miserable must be 
the lot of those who are in need of everything ! 
For the human heart in every state is alike sub¬ 
ject to unruly appetites, is alike the theatre of 
a most bitter warfare which rages among its op¬ 
posing passions. When these importunate de¬ 
sires are unsatisfied at every point, the misery 
of their victim must be beyond description. 

The condition of the wicked which we have 
been considering will enable us by contrast to set 
a true value on the peace of the just. Knowing 
how to moderate their appetites and passions, 
they do not seek their happiness in the plea- 

* Ecclee. vi. 1, 2. 


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201 


sures of tin's life, but in God alone. The end 
of their labors is not to acquire the perishable 
goods of this world, but the enduring treasures 
of eternity. They wage unceasing war upon 
their sensual appetites, and thus keep them en¬ 
tirely subdued. They are resigned to God’s will 
in all the events of their lives, and, therefore, 
experience no rebellion of their will or appe¬ 
tites to disturb their interior peace. 

This is one of the principal rewards which 
God has promised to virtue. “ Much peace 
have they that love Thy hvw, and to them there 
is no stumbling-block.”* “Oh! that thou 
hadst hearkened to My commandments ; thy 
peace had been as a river, and thy justice as 
the waves of the sea.” f Peace is here repre¬ 
sented by the prophet under the figure of a 
river, because it extinguishes the fire of concu¬ 
piscence, moderates the ardor of our desires, 
fertilizes the soil of our heart, and refreshes 
our soul. Solomon no less clearly asserts this 
same truth: “ When the ways of man shall 
please the Lord, He will convert even his ene¬ 
mies to peace.” J He will convert his ene¬ 
mies, the sensual appetites and passions, to 
peace, and by the power of grace and habit 
He will subject them to the spirit. Virtue 
meets with much opposition in its first ef¬ 
forts against the passions, but as it begins 
to be perfected this opposition ceases and its 
course becomes calm and peaceful. The truth 
of this is most keenly realized by the just in 
their practices of piety. They cannot but con- 

* Ps. cxviii. 165. t Lsaias xlviii. 18. % Prow xvi. 7. 


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trast their present peace with the restless fears 
and jealousies to which they were a prey when 
they served the world. 

Now that they have given themselves to God 
and placed all their confidence in Him, none of 
* these alarms can reach them. Their calm 
resignation to His will has wrought such a 
change in them that they can hardly believe 
themselves the same beings. In truth, grace 
has transformed them by creating in them new 
hearts. Can we, then, be surprised that such 
souls enjoy a peace which, the Apostle says, 
surpasses all understanding ? 

He who enjoys this favor cannot but turn to 
the Author of so many marvels and cry out 
with the prophet: “Come and behold ye the 
works of the Lord, w r hat wonders He hath done 
upon earth, making wars to cease even to the 
ends of the earth. He shall destroy the bow, 
and break the weapons ; and the shields He 
shall burn in the fire.” * What, then, is more 
beautiful, more worthy of our ambition, than 
this peace of soul, this calm of conscience, which 
is the work of grace and the privilege of virtue ? 
As one of the twelve fruits of the Holy Ghost, 
peace is the effect of virtue and its inseparable 
companion. It is one of those blessings which 
give us on earth many of the joys of Heaven. 
For the Apostle tells us: “The kingdom of 
God is not meat and drink; but justice, and 
peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.” f Accord¬ 
ing to the Hebrew version, justice here means 
the perfection of virtue, which, together with 

* Ps xlv. 9,10. t Rom. xiv, 17. 


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203 


its beautiful fruits, peace and joy, gives the just 
a foretaste of eternal happiness. If you would 
have still farther proof that this peace flows 
from virtue, hear the words of the prophet: 
“The work of justice shall be peace, and the 
service of justice quietness and security for 
ever.” * A second cause of this peace is the 
liberty which the just enjoy. This liberty js 
gained by the triumph of the nobler part of the 
soul over the inferior appetites, which, after they 
have been subjugated, are easily prevented from 
causing any disturbance. The great spiritual 
consolations which we considered in a preceding 
chapter form another source of this peace. 
They soothe the affections and appetites of the 
flesh by making them content to share in the 
joys of the spirit, which they afterwards begin 
to relish as the sovereign sweetness of God be¬ 
comes better known. Seeking, therefore, no 
other delights, they are never disappointed, and 
consequently never feel the attacks of anger. 
The happy result of all this is the reign of peace 
in the soul. 

Finally, this great privilege proceeds from the 
just man’s confidence in God, which is his com¬ 
fort in all trials and his anchor in all storms. 
He knows that God is his Father, his Defender, 
his Shield. Hence, he can say with the prophet: 
“In peace in the self-same I will sleep and I 
will rest; for Thou, 0 Lord! hast singularly 
settled me in hope.” f 

* Isaias xxxii. 17. 


t Ps. iv. 9,10. 


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CHAPTER XX. 

THE NINTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE MAN¬ 
NER IN WHICH GOD HEARS THE PRAYERS 
OF THE JUST. 

T O comprehend what we are about to say upon 
this subject you must remember that there 
have been two universal deluges, one ma¬ 
terial, the other moral. The former took 
place in the time of Noe and destroyed every 
thing in the world but the ark and what it con¬ 
tained. The moral deluge, much greater and 
more fatal than the material, arose from the sin 
of our first parents. Unlike the flood in the 
days of Noe, it affected not only Adam and 
Eve, its guilty cause, but every human being. 
It affected the soul even more than the body. 
It robbed us of all the spiritual riches and su¬ 
pernatural treasures which were bestowed upon 
us in the person of our first parent. 

From this first deluge came all the miseries 
and necessities under which we groan. So 
great and so numerous are these that a celebrat¬ 
ed doctor, who was also an illustrious pontiff, 
has devoted to them an entire work.* Eminent 
philosophers, considering on the one hand man’s 
superiority to all other creatures, and on the 
other the miseries and vices to which he is sub¬ 
ject, have greatly wondered at such contradic¬ 
tions in so noble a creature. Unenlightened 
by revelation, they knew not the cause of this 

* Innocent III., “ De Vilitate Conditions Human*.” 


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205 


discord. They saw that of all animals man had 
most infirmities of body ; that he alone was tor¬ 
mented by ambition, by avarice, by a desire to 
prolong his life, by a strange anxiety concern¬ 
ing his burial, and, as it appeared to them, by 
a still stranger anxiety concerning his condition 
after death. In fine, they saw that he was sub¬ 
ject to innumerable accidents and miseries of 
body and soul, and condemned to earn his 
bread by the sweat of his brow. 

His wretchedness was briefly but forcibly 
described by Job when he said that “the life 
of man upon earth is a warfare ; and his days 
are like the days of a hireling,”* Many of the 
ancient philosophers were so impressed with 
this truth that they doubted whether nature 
should not be called a step-mother rather than 
a mother, so great are the miseries to which she 
subjects us. Others argued that it would be 
better never to be born, or to die immediately 
after birth. And some have said that few would 
accept life could they have any experience of it 
before it was otfered them. 

Reduced to this miserable condition, and de¬ 
prived of our possessions by the first deluge, 
what resource, what remedy, has been left us by 
the Master who has punished ns so severely ? 
There is but one remedy for us, and that is to 
have recourse to Him, crying out with the holy 
king Josapluit : “We know not what to do; 
we can only turn our eyes to Thee.” f Eze- 
chias, powerful monarch though he was, knew 
that this was his only refuge, and therefore de- 

* Job vii. 1. t2 Paral. xx. 12. 


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dared that he would cry to God like a swal¬ 
low and would moan before Him as a dove.* 
And David, though a still greater monarch, 
placed all his confidence in this heavenly suc¬ 
cor. Inspired with the same sentiment, he 
exclaimed : “l cried to Thee, Lord, with my 
voice ; to God with my voice, and He gave ear 
to me. In the day of my trouble I sought 
God, with my hands lifted up to Him in the 
night, and I was not deceived.” f Thus when 
all other avenues of hope were closed against 
him, when all other resources failed him, he 
had recourse to prayer, the sovereign remedy 
for every evil. 

You will ask, perhaps, whether this is truly 
the sovereign remedy for every evil. As this 
depends solely upon the will of God, they alone 
can answer it who have been instructed in the 
secrets of His will—the Apostles and Prophets. 
“ There is no other nation so great, that hath 
gods so nigh them, as our God is present to all 
our petitions.” J These are the words of God 
Himself, though expressed by His servant. 
They assure us with absolute certainty that our 
prayers are not addressed in vain, that God is 
invisibly present with us to receive every sigh 
of our soul, to compassionate our miseries, and 
to grant us what we ask, if it be for our welfare. 
What is there more consoling in prayer than 
this guarantee of God’s assistance ? But still 
more reassuring are the promises of God Him¬ 
self in the New Testament where He tells us : 
“ Ask, and you shall receive ; seek, and you shall 

* Isaiae xxxviii. 14- t Pe. lxxvi. 1, 2. $ Deut. iv. 7. 


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207 


find ; knock, and it shall be opened to you.” * 
What stronger, what fuller pledge could we 
find to allay our doubts ? 

Is it not evident that this is one of the great¬ 
est privileges enjoyed by the just, to whom 
these consoling words are in a special manner 
addressed? “ The eyes of the Lord are upon the 
just, and his ears unto their prayers.” f “Then 
shalt thou call, and the Lord shall hear ; thou 
shalt cry, and He shall say : Here I am.” \ By 
the same prophet God promises more—to grant 
the prayers of the just even before they are ad¬ 
dressed to Him. And yet none of these pro¬ 
mises equal those of our Saviour in the New 
Testament. “ If you abide in Me,” He says, 
“ and My words abide in you, you shall ask 
whatever you will, and it shall be done unto 
you.” § “Amen, amen I say to you : if you 
ask the Father anything in My name, He 
will give it to you.” || Oh ! promise truly wor¬ 
thy of Him Who utters it! What other power 
could offer such a pledge ? Who but God could 
fulfil it ? Does not this favor make man, in a 
measure, the lord of all things ? Is he not 
thereby entrusted with the keys of Heaven ? 
“ Whatsoever you shall ask ”—provided it lead 
to your salvation—“shall be given to you.” 
There is no limitation, no special blessing—all 
the treasures of grace are offered to us. Ah ! 
if men knew how to appreciate things at their 
true value, with what confidence would these 
words inspire them ! If men glory in possessing 

* St Matt. vii. 7. t Ps. xxxiii. 16. $ Isaias lyiii. 9. 

§ St. John xv. 7. 11 St. John xvi. 23. 


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the favor of an earthly monarch who places his 
royal power at their disposal, how much more 
reason have we to rejoice in the favor and pro¬ 
tection of the King of kings ! 

If you would learn how such promises are 
fulfilled, study the lives of the Saints and see 
what marvels they effected by prayer. What 
did not Moses accomplish by prayer in Egypt 
and throughout the journey of the Israelites in 
the desert ? How wonderful were the works 
of Elias and his disciple Eliseus ! Behold the 
miracles which the Apostles wrought ! Prayer 
was the source of their power. It is, moreover, 
the weapon with which the Saints have fought 
and overcome the world. By prayer they ruled 
the elements, and converted even the fierce 
flames into refreshing dew. By prayer they 
disarmed the wrath of God and opened the 
fountains of His mercy. By prayer, in fine, 
they obtained all their desires. 

It is related that our holy Father, St. Domi¬ 
nic, once told a friend that he never failed to 
obtain a favor which he asked from God. 
Whereupon his friend desired him to pray that 
a celebrated doctor named Reginald might be¬ 
come a member of his order. The saint spent 
the night in prayer for this disciple, and early 
in the morning, as he was beginning the first 
hymn of the morning office, Reginald suddenly 
came into the choir, and, prostrating himself at 
the feet of the saint, begged for the habit of his 
order. Behold the recompense with which God 
rewards the obedience of the just. They are 
docile to the voice of His commandments, and 


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209 


He is equally attentive to the voice of their 
suimplications. Hence Solomon tells us that 
“ an obedient man shall speak of victory.” * 

How differently are the prayers of the wicked 
answered ! “ When you stretch forth your 

hands,” the Almighty tells them, “ I will turn 
away my eyes from you ; and when you multi¬ 
ply prayer I will not hear.” f “In the time of 
their affliction,” says the prophet, “ they will 
say : Arise, 0 Lord ! and deliver us. But 
God will ask : Where are thy gods whom thou 
hast made thee ? Let them arise and deliver 
thee.” I “ What is the hope of the hypocrite, 
if through covetousness he takes by violence ? 
Will God hear his cry when distress shall come 
upon him?”§ “Dearly beloved,” says St. 
John, “if our heart do not reprehend us, we 
have confidence towards God ; and whatsoever 
we shall ask we shall receive of Him, because 
we keep His commandments and do those 
tilings which are pleasing in His sight.” || “If 
I have looked at iniquity in my heart,” the 
Royal Prophet tells us, “ the Lord will not hear 
me"”; but I have not committed iniquity, and 
“therefore God hath heard me, and attended to 
the voice of my supplication.” 

It would be easy to find in Holy Scripture 
many similar passages, but these will suffice to 
manifest the difference between the prayers of 
the just and those of the wicked, and, by conse¬ 
quence, the incomparable privileges which the 
former enjoy. The just are heard and treated 

* Prov. xxf. 28. f Ipaias i. 15. X Jer. ii. 27, 28. 

§ Job xxvii. 8. 11 1 St. John iii. 21, 22. ^ Ps. lxv. 18,19. 


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as the children of God; the wicked are rejected 
as His enemies. This should not astonish us, 
for a prayer unsupported by good works, de¬ 
void of fervor, charity, or humility, cannot be 
pleasing to God. Nevertheless, the sinner who 
reads these lines must not give way to dis¬ 
couragement. It is only the obstinately wicked 
who are rejected. It is only those who wish to 
continue in their disorders who are thus cut off. 
Though your sins are as numerous as the sands 
on the shore, though your life has been wasted 
in crime, never forget that God is your Father, 
that He awaits you with open arms and open 
heart, that He is continually calling upon you 
to return and be reconciled to Him. Have the 
desire to change your life ; be resolved to walk 
in the path of virtue, and turn to God in hum¬ 
ble prayer, with unshaken confidence that you 
will be heard. “Ask, and you shall receive; 
seek, and you shall find; knock, and it shall 
be opened to you.” 


CHAPTER XXI. 

THE TENTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : THE CON¬ 
SOLATION AND ASSISTANCE WITH WHICH GOD 
SUSTAINS THE JUST IN THEIR AFFLICTIONS. 

A S we have already remarked, there is no sea 
more treacherous or more inconstant than 
this life. No man’s happiness is secure 
from the danger of innumerable accidents 
and misfortunes. It is, therefore, important to 



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observe bow differently the just and the wicked 
act under tribulation. The just, knowing that 
God is their Father and the Physician of their 
souls, submissively and generously accept as the 
cure for their infirmities the bitter chalice of 
suffering. They look on tribulation as a file in 
the hands of their Maker to remove the rust of 
sin from their souls, and to restore them to 
their original purity and brightness. They 
have learned in the school of the Divine Mas¬ 
ter that affliction renders a man more humble, 
increases the fervor of his prayers, and purifies 
his conscience. Now, no physician more care¬ 
fully proportions his remedies to the strength 
of his patient than this Heavenly Physician 
tempers trials according to the necessities of 
souls. Should their burdens be increased He 
redoubles the measure of their consolations. 
Seeing from this the riches they acquire by 
sufferings, the just no longer fly from them, but 
eagerly desire them, and meet them with pa¬ 
tience and even with joy. They regard not the 
labor, but the crown ; not the bitter medicine, 
but the health to be restored to them; not the 
pain of their wounds, but the goodness of Him 
who has said that He loves those whom He 
chastises.* 

Grace, which is never wanting fo the just in 
the hour of tribulation, is the first source of 
the fortitude which they display. Though He 
seems to have withdrawn from them, God is 
never nearer to His children than at such a 
time. Search the Scriptures and you will see 

* Heb. xii. 6. 


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that there is no truth more frequently repeated 
than this. “ Call upon Me in the day of trou¬ 
ble,” says the Lord ; “I will deliver thee, and 
thou shalt glorify Me.”* “ When I called upon 

the Lord,” David sings, “the God of my justice 
heard me; when I was in distress Thou hast 
enlarged me.” f 

Hence the calmness and fortitude of the just 
under suffering. They are strong in the pro¬ 
tection of a powerful Friend who constantly 
watches over them. Witness the three young 
men who were cast into the burning furnace. 
God sent His angel to accompany them, and 
“He drove the flame of the fire out of the fur¬ 
nace, and made the midst of the furnace like 
the blowing of a wind bringing dew, and the 
fire touched them not, nor troubled them, nor 
did them any harm. . . . Then Nabuclio- 
donosor was astonished, and rose up in haste, 
and said to his nobles : Did we not cast three 
men bound into the midst of the fire ? They 
answered the king and said: True, 0 king ! 
He answered and said : Behold I see four men 
loose, and walking in the midst of the fire, and 
there is no hurt in them, and the form of the 
fourth is like the Son of God.” J Does not 
this teach us that God’s protection never fails 
the just in the hour of trial ? 

A no less striking example is that of Joseph, 
with whom God’s protection “ descended into 
the pit, and left him not till he was brought 
to the sceptre of the kingdom ; and power 
against those that had oppressed him, and 

* Ps. xlix. 15. t Ps. iv. 1. X Dan. iii- 


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213 


showed them to be liars that had accused him, 
and gave him everlasting glory/’* Such ex¬ 
amples prove more powerfully than words the 
truth of God’s promise, “I am with him in tri¬ 
bulation ; I will deliver him and I will glorify 
him.” f Oh! happy affliction which merits for 
us the compamonship of God! Let our pray¬ 
ers, then, be with St. Bernard: 44 Give me, 0 
Lord ! tribulations through life, that I may 
never be separated from Thee.” J 

To the direct action of grace we must add 
that of the virtues, each of which, in its own 
way, strengthens the afflicted soul. When the 
heart is oppressed the blood rushes to it to fa¬ 
cilitate its movement, to strengthen its action. 
So when the soul is oppressed by suffering the 
virtues hasten to assist and strengthen it. 
First comes Faith with her absolute assurance 
of the eternal happiness of heaven and the 
eternal misery of hell. She tells us, in the 
words of the Apostle, 44 that the sufferings of 
time are not worthy to be compared with the 
glory to come that shall be revealed in us.” § 
Next comes Hope, softening our troubles and 
lightening our burdens with her glorious pro¬ 
mises of future rewards. Then Charity, the 
most powerful help of the soul, so inflames our 
will that we even desire to suffer for love of 
Him who has endured so much for love of us. 
Gratitude reminds us that as we have received 
good things from God, we should also be will¬ 
ing to receive evil. || Resignation helps us 

* Wisdom x. 13, 14. t Ps. xc. 15. % Scrm. 17 in Ps. xc. 

§ Rom. viii. 18. 1 Job ii. 10. 


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recognize and cheerfully accept God’s will or 
permission in all tilings. Humility bows the 
heart before the wind of adversity, like a young 
tree swept by the storm. Patience gives us 
strength above nature to enable us to bear the 
heaviest burden. Obedience tells us that there 
is no holocaust more pleasing to God than that 
which we make of our will by our perfect sub¬ 
mission to Him. Penance urges that it is but 
just that one who has so often resisted God’s 
will should have his own will denied in many 
things. Fidelity pleads that we should rejoice 
to be able to prove our devotion to Him who 
unceasingly showers His benefits upon us. Fin¬ 
ally, the memory of Christ’s Passion and the 
lives of the Saints show us how trivial our suf¬ 
ferings are, and how cowardly it would be to 
complain of them. Yet, among all the virtues, 
hope consoles us most effectually. “ Rejoice in 
hope,” says the Apostle ; “ be patient in tribu¬ 
lation,” * thus teaching us that our patience is 
The result of our hope. Again, he calls hope an 
anchor, f because it holds firm and steady the 
frail bark of our life in the midst of the most 
tempestuous storms. 

Strengthened by these considerations and by 
God’s unfailing grace, the just endure tribula¬ 
tion not only with invincible fortitude, but even 
with cheerfulness and gratitude. They know 
that the duty of a good Christian does not con¬ 
sist solely in praying, fasting, or hearing Mass, 
but in proving their faith under tribulation, as 
did Abraham, the father of the faithful, and 

* Rom. jtii. 12. + Heb. vi. 19. 


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215 


Job, the most patient of mem Consider also the 
example of Tobias, who, after suffering many 
trials, was permitted by God to lose his sight. 
The Holy Ghost bears witness to his invincible 
patience and virtue. “ Having always feared 
God from his infancy, and kept His command¬ 
ments, he repined not against God because the 
evil of blindness had befallen him, but con¬ 
tinued immovable in the fear of God, giving 
thanks to God all the days of his life.* We 
could cite numerous examples of men and wo¬ 
men w r ho even in our time have cheerfully and 
lovingly borne cruel infirmities and painful 
labors, finding honey in gall, calm in tempest, 
refreshment and peace m the midst of the flames 
of Babylon. 

But we feel that we have said sufficient to prove- 
that God consoles the just in their sufferings,, 
and therefore we shall next consider the unfor¬ 
tunate condition of the wicked when laboring 
under affliction. Devoid of hope, of charity, 
of courage, of every sustaining virtue, tribula¬ 
tion attacks them unarmed and defenceless. 
Their dead faith sheds no ray of light upon the- 
darkness of their afflictions. Hope holds out 
no future reward to sustain their failing cour¬ 
age. Strangers to charity, they know not the; 
loving care of their Heavenly Father. How 
lamentable a sight to behold them swallowed 
in the gulf of tribulation ! Utterly defenceless, 
how can they breast the angry waves ? How 
can they escape being dashed to- pieces against 
the rocks of pride, despair, rage,, and blasphe- 

* Tobias ii. 13,14. 



216 


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my ? Have we not seen unhappy souls lose 
their health, their reason, their very life in the 
excess of their misery ? While the just, like 
pure gold, come out of the crucible of suffering 
refined and purified, the wicked, like some 
viler metal, are melted and dissolved. While 
the wicked shed hitter tears, the just sing songs 
of gladness. “The voice of rejoicing and of 
salvation is in the tabernacles of the just,” * 
while the habitations of sinners resound with 
cries of sorrow and despair. 

Observe, moreover, the extravagant grief of 
the wicked when those they love are taken from 
them by death. They storm against Heaven ; 
they deny God’s justice ; they blaspheme His 
mercy ; they accuse His providence ; they rage 
against men; and not unfrequently they end 
their miserable lives by their own hands. Their 
curses and blasphemies bring upon them terri¬ 
ble calamities, for the Divine Justice cannot 
but punish those who rebel against the provi¬ 
dence of God. 

Unhappy souls ! The afflictions which are 
sent for the cure of their disorders only increase 
their misery. May we not say that the pains 
of hell begin for them even in this life ? Con¬ 
sider, too, the loss which they suffer by their 
murmurings and impatience. No man can es¬ 
cape the trials of life, but all can lighten their 
burden and merit eternal reward by bearing 
their sorrows in patience. Not only is this pre¬ 
cious fruit lost by the wicked, but to the load 
of misery which they are compelled to carry 

* Ps. cxvii. 15. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


217 


they add the still more intolerable burden of 
their impatience and rebellion. They are like 
a traveller who, after a long and weary journey 
through the night, finds himself in the morn¬ 
ing farther than ever from the place he wished 
to reach. 

What a subject is this for our contemplation ! 
“ The same fire,” says St. Chrysostom, “ which 
purifies gold consumes wood; so in the fire of 
tribulation the just acquire new beauty and 
perfection, while the wicked, like dry wood, are 
reduced to ashes.”* St. Cyprian expresses the 
same thought by another illustration : “ As the 
wind in harvest time scatters the chaff but 
cleanses the wheat, so the winds of adversity 
scatter the wicked but purify the just.” f The 
passage of the children of Israel through the 
Bed Sea is still another figure of the same 
truth. Like protecting walls the waters rose 
on each side of the people, and gave them a 
safe passage to the dry land; but as soon as 
the Egyptian army with its king and chariots 
had entered the watery breach, the same w r aves 
closed upon them and buried them in the sea. 
In like manner the waters of tribulation are a 
preservation to the just, while to the wicked 
they are a tempestuous gulf which sweeps them 
into the abyss of rage, of blasphemy, and of 
despair. 

Behold the admirable advantage which vir¬ 
tue possesses over vice. It was for this reason 
that philosophers so highly extolled philosophy, 
persuaded that its study rendered man more 

* Horn, xiv. in Matt. i. t “ De Unitate Eccl.’ 


218 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


constant and more resolute in adversity. But 
this was one of their numerous errors. True 
constancy, like true virtue, cannot be drawn 
from the teaching of worldly philosophy. It 
must be learned in the school of the Divine 
Master, who from His Cross consoles us by His 
example, and from His throne in Heaven sends 
us His Spirit to strengthen and encourage us 
by the hope of an immortal crown. 


CHAPTER XXII. 

THE ELEVENTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : GOD’S 
CARE FOR THE TEMPORAL NEEDS OF THE 
JUST. 

T HE privileges of virtue which we considered 
in the preceding chapters are the spiritual 
blessings accorded to the just in this life, 
independently of the eternal reward of 
Heaven. As, however, there may be some who, 
like the Jews of old, cling to the things of the 
flesh rather than to those of the spirit, we shall 
devote this chapter to the temporal blessings 
which the virtuous enjoy. The Wise Man says 
of wisdom, which is the perfection of virtue, 
that “length of days is in her right hand, and 
in her left hand riches and glory.” * Perfect 
virtue, then, possesses this double reward with 
which she wins men to her allegiance, holding 
out to them with one hand the temporal bless¬ 
ings of this life, and with the other the eternal 

* Prov. iii. 16 . 



The Sinner’s Guide . 


219 


blessings of the life to come. Oh ! no ; God 
does not leave His followers in want. He who 
so carefully provides for the ant, the worm, the 
smallest of His creatures, cannot disregard the 
necessities of His faithful servants. 1 do not 
ask you to receive this upon my word, but I 
do ask you to read the Gospel according to St. 
Matthew, in which you will find many assu¬ 
rances and promises on this subject. “ Behold 
the birds of the air,” says our Saviour, “for 
they neither sow, nor do they reap, nor gather 
into barns ; and your Heavenly Father feedeth 
them. Are not you of much more value than 
they ? ... Be not solicitous, therefore, say¬ 
ing : What shall we eat, or what shall we drink, 
or wherewith shall we be clothed ? For after 
all these things do the heathen seek. For your 
Father knoweth that you have need of all these 
things. Seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom 
of God, and His justice, and all these things 
shall be added unto you.” * 

“Fear the Lord, all ye His saints,” the 
Psalmist sings, “ for they that fear Him know 
no want. The rich have wanted, and have suf¬ 
fered hunger ; but they that seek the Lord shall 
not be deprived of any good.” f “I have been 
young, and now am old, and I have not seen 
the just forsaken nor his seed seeking bread.” J 

If you would satisfy yourself still farther con¬ 
cerning the temporal blessings conferred on the 
just, read the divine promises recorded in Deu¬ 
teronomy : “If thou wilt hear the voice of the 
Lord thy God, to do and keep all His command- 

* Chap. vi. t Ps. xxxiii. 10,11. $ Ps. zxxvi. 25. 


220 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


ments which I command thee this day, the Lord 
thy God will make thee higher than all the na¬ 
tions that are on the earth. And all these 
blessings shall come upon thee and overtake 
thee, if thou hear His precepts. Blessed slialt 
thou be in the city, and blessed in the field. 
Blessed shall be the fruit of thy womb, and the 
fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, 
the droves of thy herds, and the folds of thy 
sheep. Blessed shall be thy barns aud blessed 
thy stores. Blessed slialt thou be coming in 
and going out. The Lord shall cause thy ene¬ 
mies that rise up against thee to fall down be¬ 
fore thy face ; one way shall they come out 
against thee, and seven ways shall they flee be¬ 
fore thee. The Lord will send forth a blessing 
upon thy storehouses, and upon all the works of 
thy hands, and will bless thee in the land that 
thou shalt receive. The Lord will raise thee up 
to be a holy people to Himself, as He swore to 
thee, if thou keep the commandments of the 
Lord thy God and walk in His ways. And all 
the people of the earth shall see that the name 
of the Lord is invoked upon thee, and they shall 
fear thee. The Lord will make thee abound 
with all goods, with the fruit of thy womb, and 
the fruit of tliy cattle, with the fruit of thy 
land which the Lord swore to thy fathers that 
He would give thee. The Lord will open His 
excellent treasure, the heaven, that it may give 
rain in due season; and He will bless all the 
works of thy bands.”* What riches can be 
compared to such blessings as these ? And 

♦Deut. xxviii. 1-13. 


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221 


they have been promised not only to the Jews, 
but to all Christians who are faithful to God’s 
law. Moreover, they are bestowed with two ex¬ 
traordinary advantages unknown to the wicked. 
The first of these is the wisdom with which 
God awards them. Like a skilful physician He 
gives His servants temporal blessings according 
to their necessities, and not in such measure as 
to inflate them with pride or endanger their 
salvation. The wicked despise this moderation 
and madly heap up all the riches they can ac¬ 
quire, forgetting that excess in this respect is as 
dangerous to the soul as excess of nourishment 
is injurious to the body. Though a man’s life 
lies in his blood, too copious a supply only 
tends to choke him. The second of these ad¬ 
vantages is that temporal blessings afford the 
just, with far less disturbance or display, that 
rest and contentment which all men seek in 
worldly goods. Even with a little the just en¬ 
joy as much repose as if they possessed the uni¬ 
verse. Hence St. Paul speaks of himself as 
having nothing, yet possessing all things.* 
Thus the just journey through life, poor but 
knowing no want, possessing abundance in the 
midst of poverty. The wicked, on the contrary, 
hunger in the midst of abundance, and though, 
like Tantalus, f surrounded by water, they can 
never satisfy their thirst. 

* 2 Cor. vi. 10. 

+ Tantalus, according to the fable of the ancients, was a king or 
Corinth condemned by the gods, for divulging their secrets, to bo 
placed in hell in the midi-t of water which reached his clnn, but, 
which he could not even taste; to have fruit suspended over his 
head which he could not eat; and to be always in fear of a large 
stone falling on his hand. 


222 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


For like reasons Moses earnestly exhorted the 
people to the observance of God’s law. “Lay 
up these words in thy heart,” he says ; “ teach 
them to thy children; meditate upon them 
sitting in thy house, walking on thy journey, 
sleeping and rising. Bind them as a sign upon 
thy hand; keep them before thy eyes; write 
them over the entrance to thy house, on the 
doors of thy house. Do that which is pleasing 
and good in the sight of the Lord, that it may 
be well with thee all the days of thy life in the 
land which God shall give thee.”* Having 
been admitted to the counsels of the Most High, 
Moses knew the inestimable treasure contained 
in the observance of the law. His prophetic 
mind saw that all temporal and spiritual bless¬ 
ings, both present and future, were comprised 
in this. It is a compact which God makes with 
the just, and which, we may feel assured, will 
never be broken on His part. Nay, rather, if 
we prove ourselves faithful servants we will 
find that God will be even more generous than 
His promises. “ Godliness,” says St. Paul, “is 
profitable to all things, having promise of the 
life that now is, and of that which is to come.” f 
Behold how clearly the Apostle promises to 
piety, which is the observance of God’s com¬ 
mandments, not only the blessings of eternity 
but those of this life also. 

If you desire to know the poverty, miseries, 
and afflictions which are reserved for the wicked, 
read the twenty-eighth chapter of the Book of 
Deuteronomy. Therein Moses, in the name of 

* Deut. vi. +1 Tim. iv. 8, . " 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


223 


God, utters most terrible threats and maledic¬ 
tions against the impious. “If thou wilt not 
hear the voice of the Lord thy God, to keep and 
to do all His commandments and ceremonies 
which I command thee this day, all these curses 
shall come upon thee and overtake thee. Cursed 
shalt thou be in the city, cursed in the field. 
Cursed shall be thy barn, and cursed thy stores. 
Cursed shall be the fruit of thy womb, and the 
fruit of thy ground, the herds of thy oxeu, and 
the flocks of thy sheep. Cursed shalt thou be 
coming in and going out. The Lord shall send 
upon thee famine and hunger, and a rebuke 
on all the works which thou shalt do, until 



He consume and destroy thee quickly for thy 
most wicked inventions, by which thou hast 
forsaken Me. May the Lord set the pestilence 
upon thee until lie consume thee out of the 
land which thou shalt go in to possess. May 
the Lord afflict thee with miserable want, with 
the fever and with cold, with burning and 
with heat, and with corrupted air and with 
blasting, and pursue thee till thou perish. Be 
the heaven that is over thee of brass, and the 
ground thou treadest on of iron. The Lord 
give thee dust for rain upon thy land, and let 
ashes come down from heaven upon thee till 
thou be consumed. The Lord make thee fall 
down before thy enemies ; one way mayst thou 
go out against them, and flee seven ways, and 
be scattered throughout all the kingdoms of the 
earth. And be thy carcass meat for all the 
fowls of the air and the beasts of the earth, and 
be there none to drive them away. The Lord 


224 


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strike thee with madness and blindness, and 
fury of mind. And mayst thou grope at mid-day 
as the blind is wont to grope in the dark, and 
not make straight thy ways. And mayst tliou 
at all times suffer wrong, and be oppressed with 
violence, and mayst thou have no one to deliver 
thee. May thy sons and thy daughters be given 
to another people, thy eyes looking on, and 
languishing at the sight of them all the day, 
and may there be no strength in thy hand. 
May a people which thou knowest not eat the 
fruits of thy land, and all thy labors, and mayst 
thou always suffer oppression, and be crushed at 
all times. May the Lord strike thee with a 
very sore ulcer in the knees and in the legs, and 
be thou incurable from the sole of thy foot to 
the top of thy head. . . . And all these curses 
shall come upon thee, and shall pursue and over¬ 
take thee, till tliou perish ; because thou heardst 
not the voice of the Lord thy God, and didst 
not keep His commandments. Because thou 
didst not serve the Lord thy God with joy and 
gladness of heart for the abundance of all things, 
thou shalt serve thy enemy whom the Lord will 
send upon thee, in hunger, in thirst, and naked¬ 
ness, and in want of all things; and he shall 
put an iron yoke upon thy neck till he con¬ 
sume thee. The Lord will bring upon thee a 
nation from afar, and from the uttermost ends 
of the earth, a most insolent nation, that will 
show no regard to the ancient, nor have pity on 
the infant, and will devour the fruit of thy 
cattle, and the fruits of thy land, until thou be 
destroyed, and will leave thee no wheat, nor 


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225 


wine, nor oil, nor herds of oxen, nor flocks of 
sheep, till he consume thee in all thy cities, and 
thy strong and high walls be brought down, 
wherein thou trustedst in all thy land. Thou 
shalt be besieged within thy gates, and thou 
shalt eat the fruit of thy womb, and the flesh 
'of thy sons and thy daughters, in the distress 
and extremity wherewith thy enemies shall op¬ 
press thee.” Let us not forget that these male¬ 
dictions are recorded in Holy Scripture, with 
many others, equally terrible, which we have not 
cited. Learn from them the rigor with which 
Divine Justice pursues the wicked, and the 
hatred God must bear to sin, which He punishes 
with such severity in this life and with still 
greater torments in the next. 

Think not these were idle menaces. Ho; 
they were words of prophecy, and were terribly 
verified in the Jewish nation. For we read 
that during the reign of Achab, King of Israel, 
his people were besieged by the army of the 
king of Syria, and reduced to such straits that 
they fed upon pigeons’ dung, which sold at a 
high price, and that a mother devoured her 
own child.* And these scenes, the historian 
Josephus tells us, were repeated during the 
siege of Jerusalem. The captivity of this peo¬ 
ple and the complete destruction of their king¬ 
dom and power are well known to all. 

Think not that these calamities were reserv¬ 
ed for the Jewish people only. All the nations 
that have known God’s law and despised it 
have been the objects of His just and terrible 

* 4 Kings vi. 


226 


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anger. “ Did not I bring up Israel ont of the 
land of Egypt, and the Palestines out of Cappa¬ 
docia, and the Syrians out of Cyrene ? Behold 
the eyes of the Lord God are upon the sinful 
kingdom, and I will destroy it from the face of 
the earth.” * From this we can understand 
that wars and revolutions, the downfall of 
some kingdoms and the rise of others, are due 
to the sins of men. 

Read the annals of the early ages of the 
Church, and you will find that God has dealt in 
like manner with the wicked, especially with 
those who were once enlightened by His law, 
and who afterwards rejected it. See how He 
has punished infidelity in Christian nations. 
Vast portions of Europe, Asia, and Africa, for¬ 
merly filled with Christian churches, are now in 
the hands of infidels and barbarians. Behold 
the ravages wrought in Christian nations by 
the Goths, the Huns, and the Vandals ! In the 
time of St. Augustine they laid waste all the 
countries of Africa, sparing none of the inhabi¬ 
tants, not even women and children. At the 
same time Dalmatia and the neighboring towns 
were so devastated by the barbarians that St. 
Jerome, who was a native of that kingdom, said 
that a traveller passing through the country 
would find only earth and sky, so universal was 
the desolation. 

Is it not evident, therefore, that virtue not 
only helps us attain the joys of eternity, but 
that it also secures for us the blessings of this 
life? 


* Amos be. 7, 8. 


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227 


Let, then, the consideration of this privilege, 
with the others which we have mentioned, excite 
you to renewed ardor in the practice of virtue, 
which is able to save you from so many mise¬ 
ries and procure you so many blessings. 


CHAPTER XXIII. 

THE TWELFTH PRIVILEGE OF VIRTUE : TEE 
HAPPY DEATH OF THE JUST. 

T HE end, it is said, crowns the work, and, 
therefore, it is in death that the just 
mail’s life is most fittingly crowned, while 
the departure of the sinner is a no less 
fitting close to his wretched career. “Precious 
in the sight of the Lord is the death of the 
Saints,” * says the Psalmist, but “the death of 
the wicked is very evil.” \ Commenting upon 
the latter part of this text, St. Bernard says : 
“The death of the wicked is bad because it 
takes them from this world ; it is still worse 
because it separates the soul from the body; 
and it is worst because it precipitates them into 
the fire of hell, and delivers them a prey to the 
undying worm of remorse.” To these evils 
which haunt the sinner at the hour of death 
add the bitter regrets which gnaw his heart, 
the anguish which fills his soul, and the tor¬ 
ments which rack his body. He is seized with 
terror at the thought of the past ; of the ac- 
* Ps. cxv. 5. t Ps. xxxiii. 22. 



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count he must render; of the sentence which 
is to be pronounced against him ; of the hor¬ 
rors of the tomb ; of separation from wife, 
children, and friends ; of bidding farewell to 
the things he has loved with an inordinate 
and a guilty love—wealth, luxuries, and even 
the gifts of nature, the light of day and the 
pure air of heaven. The stronger his love for 
earthly things has been, the more bitter will be 
his anguish in separating from them. As St. 
Augustine says, we cannot part without grief 
from that which we have possessed with love. 
It was in the same spirit that a certain philoso¬ 
pher said that he who has fewest pleasures in 
life has least reason to fear death. 

But the greatest suffering of the wicked at 
the hour of death comes from the stings of 
remorse, and the thought of the terrible future 
upon which they are about to enter. The ap¬ 
proach of death seems to open man’s eyes and 
make him see all things as he never saw them 
before. “ As life ebbs away,” says St. Eusebius, 
“man is free from all distracting care for the 
necessities of life. He ceases to desire honors, 
emoluments, or dignities, for he sees that they 
are beyond his grasp. Eternal interests and 
thoughts of God’s justice demand all his atten¬ 
tion. The past w r ith its pleasures is gone; the 
present with its opportunities is rapidly gliding 
away ; all that remains to him is the future, with 
the dismal prospect of his many sins waiting to 
accuse him before the judgment-seat of the 
just God.” “ Consider,” the Saint again says, 
“ the terror which will seize the negligent soul 


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229 


when she is entering eternity; the anguish 
with which she will he filled Avhen, foremost 
among her accusers, her conscience will appear 
with its innumerable retinue of sins. Its testi¬ 
mony cannot be denied ; its accusations will 
leave her mute and helpless; there will be no 
need to seek farther witnesses, for the know¬ 
ledge of this life-long companion will confound 
her. ” 

Still more terrible is the picture of the death 
of the sinner given by St. Peter Damian. “ Let 
us try to represent to ourselves,” he says, “ the 
terror which fills the soul of the sinner at the 
hour of death and the bitter reproaches with 
which conscience assails him. The command¬ 
ments he has despised and the sins he has 
committed appear before him to haunt him by 
their presence. He sighs for the time which 
he has squandered, and which was given to him 
to do penance ; he beholds with despair the ac¬ 
count he must render before the dread tribunal 
of God. He longs to arrest the moments, but 
they speed relentlessly on, bearing him nearer 
and nearer to his doom. If he look back his 
life seems but a moment, and before him is the 
limitless horizon of eternity. He weeps bitterly 
at the thought of the unspeakable happiness 
which he has sacrificed for the fleeting plea¬ 
sures of the flesh. Confusion and shame over¬ 
whelm him when he sees he lias forfeited a 
glorious place among the angelic choirs, through 
love for his body, which is about to become the 
food of worms. When he turns his eyes from 
the abode of these beings of light to the dark 


230 


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valley of this world, he sees how base and un¬ 
worthy are the things for which he has rejected 
immortal glory and happiness. Oh ! could he 
but regain a small portion of the time he has 
lost, what austerities, what mortifications he 
would practise ! What is there that could over¬ 
come his courage ? What vows would he not 
offer, and how fervent would be his prayers ! 
But while he is revolving these sad thoughts 
the messengers of death appear in the rigid 
limbs, the dark and hollow eyes, the heaving 
breast, the forming lips, the livid face. And 
as these exterior heralds approach every 
thought, word, and action of his guilty life 
appear before him. Vainly does he strive to 
turn his eyes from them ; they will not be ban¬ 
ished. On one side—and this is true of every 
man’s death—Satan and his legions are present, 
tempting the dying man, in the hope of seizing 
his soul even at the last minute. On the other 
side are the Angels of Heaven, helping, consol¬ 
ing, and strengthening him. And yet it is his 
own life that will decide the contest between 
the spirits of darkness and the Angels of light. 
In the case of the good, who have heaped up a 
treasure of meritorious works, the victory is 
with the Angels of light. But the impious man, 
whose unexpiated crimes are crying for ven¬ 
geance, rejects the help that is offered to him ; 
yields to despair ; and as his unhappy soul passes 
from his pampered body the demons are ready 
to seize it and bear it away.” What stronger 
proof does man require of the wretched condi¬ 
tion of the sinner, and what more does he need 


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231 


to make him avoid a career which ends so de¬ 
plorably ? If at this critical hour riches could 
help him as they do at many other periods of 
life, the evil would be less. But he will receive 
no succor from his riches, his honors, his dig¬ 
nities, his distinguished friends. The only 
patronage which will then avail him will be 
that of virtue and innocence. “ Biches,” says 
the Wise Man. “shall not profit in the day of 
revenge, but justice shall deliver from death.” * 

As the wicked, therefore, receive at the hour 
of death the punishment of their crimes, so do 
the just then receive the reward of their vir¬ 
tues. “ With him thatfeareth the Lord,” says 
the Holy Ghost, “ it shall go well in the latter 
end ; “ and in the day of his death he shall be 
blessed.”! St. John declares this truth still 
more forcibly when he tells us that he heard a 
voice from Heaven commanding him : “Write: 
Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord. 
From henceforth, saith the Spirit, they rest 
from their labors, for their works follow them.” J 
With such a promise from God Himself how 
can the just man fear ? Can he dread that 
hour in which he is to receive the reward of his 
life’s labors ? Since, as we read in Job, he has 
put away iniquity, brightness like that of the J 
noonday shall arise to him at evening, and when ? 
he shall think himself consumed he shall rise 
as the day-star. § Explaining these words, St. 
Gregory says that the light which illumines the 
close of the just man’s life is the splendor of 

* Prov. xi. 4. + Ecclus. i. 13. $ Apoc. xiv. 13. 

§ Job xi. 14, 17. 


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that immortal glory which is already so near. 
When others, therefore, are weighed down by 
sadness and despair, he is full of confidence and 
joy. For this reason Solomon has said that 
the wicked shall be rejected because of their 
wickedness, but the just man hath hope in the 
hour of his death.* 

What more striking example of this confident 
hope can we find than that of the glorious St. 
Martin ? Seeing the devil beside his bed at the 
hour of death, he cried out : “ What dost thou 
here, cruel beast ? Thou wilt find no mortal 
sin in my soul by which thou mayest bind me. 
I go, therefore, to enjoy eternal peace in Abra- 
hanfis bosom.” Equally touching and beauti¬ 
ful was the confidence of our holy Father, St. 
Dominic. Seeing the religious of his order 
weeping around his bed, he said to them : 
“ Weep not, my children, for I can do you more 
good where I am going than I could ever hope 
to do on earth.” How could the fear of death 
overcome one who so confidently hoped to ob¬ 
tain Heaven not only for himself but also for 
his disciples ? 

Far, then, from fearing death, the just hail 
it as the hour of their deliverance and the be- 
- ginning of their reward. In his commentary 
on the Epistle of St. John St. Augustine 
writes : “It cannot be said that he who de¬ 
sires to be dissolved and to be with Christ en¬ 
dures death with patience, but rather that he 
endures life with patience and embraces death 
with joy.” It is not, therefore, with cries and 

* Trov. xiv. 32. 


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233 


lamentations that the just man sees Lis end ap¬ 
proaching, but, like the swan, which is said to 
sing as death draws near, he departs this life 
with words of praise and thanksgiving on his 
lips. He does not fear death, because he has 
always feared God, and he who fears God need 
fear nothing else. He does not fear death, be¬ 
cause his life has been a preparation for death, 
and he who is always armed and ready need not 
fear the enemy. He does not fear death, be¬ 
cause he has sought during life to secure in 
virtue and good works powerful advocates for 
that terrible hour. He does not fear death, 
because he has endeavored, by devoted service, 
to incline his Judge in his favor. Finally, he 
does not fear death, because to the just death is 
only a sweet sleep, the end of toil, and the be¬ 
ginning of a blessed immortality. 

Nor can the accompanying accidents and 
pains of death alarm him, for he knows that 
they are but the throes and pangs in which he 
must be brought forth to eternal life. He is 
not dismayed by the memory of his sins or the 
rigor of God’s justice, since he has Christ for 
his Friend and xidvocate. He does not trem¬ 
ble at the presence of Satan and his followers, 
for Lis Eedeemer, who has conquered hell and 
death, stands at his side. For him the tomb 
has no terrors, for he knows that he must sow 
a natural body in order that it may rise a spiri¬ 
tual body, that this corruptible must put on in¬ 
corruption.* Since, as we have already re¬ 
marked, the end crowns the work, and, as 

* 1 Cor. XV. 42, 44. 


234 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Seneca tells us, the last day condemns or justi¬ 
fies the whole life, how can we, beholding the 
peaceful and blessed death of the just and the 
miserable departure of the wicked, seek for any 
other motive to make us embrace a life of vir¬ 
tue ? 

Of what avail will be the riches and prospe¬ 
rity which you may enjoy during your short 
stay in this life, if your eternity will be spent 
in the endless torments of hell ? Or how can 
you shrink from the temporary sufferings that 
will win for you an eternity of happiness ? Of 
what advantage are learning and skill, if the 
sinner use them only to acquire those things 
which flatter his pride, feed his sensuality, con¬ 
firm him in sin, unfit him to practise virtue, 
and thus render death as bitter and unwelcome 
as his life was pleasant and luxurious ? We 
consider him a wise and skilful physician who 
prudently seeks by every fit means to restore 
the health of his patient, since this is the end 
of his science. So is he truly wise who regu¬ 
lates his life with a view to his last end, who 
constantly employs all the means in his power 
to fit himself for a happy death. 

Behold, then, dear Christian, the twelve 
fruits of virtue in this life. They are like 
the twelve fruits of the tree of life seen by St. 
John in his prophetic vision.* This tree repre¬ 
sents Jesus Christ, and is also a symbol of vir¬ 
tue with its abundant fruits of holiness and 
life. And what fruits can bo compared to 
those which we have been considering ? What* 

* Apoc. xxii. 2. 


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235 


is there more consoling than the fatherly care 
with which God surrounds the just ? What 
blessings equal those of divine grace, of heav¬ 
enly wisdom, of the consolations of the Holy 
Spirit, of the testimony of a good conscience, 
of invincible hope, of unfailing efficacy in 
prayer, and of that peaceful and happy death 
with which the just man’s life is crown.ed ? 
But one of these fruits, rightly known and ap¬ 
preciated, should suffice to make us embrace 
virtue. 

Think not that you will ever regret any labor 
:>r any sacrifice made in pursuit of so great a 
£ood. The wicked do not strive to attain it, 
for they know not its value. To them the 
kingdom of Heaven is like a hidden treasure.* 
A.nd yet it is only through the divine light and 
die practice of virtue that they will learn its 
leauty and worth. Seek, therefore, this light, 
tnd you will find the pearl of great price. 

Do not leave the source of eternal life to 
Irink at the turbid streams of the world. Fol- 
ow the counsel of the prophet, and taste and 
ee that the Lord is sweet. Trusting in our 
Saviour’s words, resolutely enter the path of 
r irtue, and your illusions will vanish. The 
erpent into which the rod of Moses was con- 
erted was frightful at a distance, but at the 
ouch of his hand it became again a harmless 
od. To the wicked virtue wears a forbidding 
30k; to sacrifice their worldly pleasures for 
ier would be to buy her at too dear a rate, 
hit when they draw near they see how lovely 

* St. Matt. xiii. 44. 


236 


The Sinner's Guide. 


she is, and when they have once tasted the 
sweetness she possesses they cheerfully sur¬ 
render all they have to win her friendship and 
love. How gladly did the man in the Gospel 
hasten to sell all he had to purchase the field 
which contained a treasure ! * Why, then, do 
Christians make so little effort to obtain this 
inestimable good ? If a companion assured you 
that a treasure lay hidden in your house you 
would not fail to search for it, even though you 
doubted its existence. Yet though you know, 
on the infallible word of God, that you can find 
a priceless treasure within your own breast, 
you do nothing to discover it. Oh ! that you 
would realize its value ! Would that you knew 
how little it costs to obtain it, and how “nigh 
is the Lord unto all them that call upon Him, 
that call upon Him in truth ” ! f Be mindful of 
the prodigal, of so many others who have re¬ 
turned from sin and error, to find, instead of an 
angry Judge, a loving Father awaiting them. 
Ho penance, therefore, for your sins, and God 
will no longer remember your iniquities. \ Re¬ 
turn to your loving Father ; rise with the dawn 
and knock at the gates of His mercy; humbly 
persevere in your entreaties, and He will not 
fail to reveal to you the treasure of His love. 
Having once experienced the sweetness which 
it contains, you will say with the spouse in the 
Canticle: “If a man should give all the sub¬ 
stance of his house for love, he shall despise it 
as nothing.” § 


* St. Matt, xiii. 44. 

$ Ezech. xviii. 21, 22. 


t Ps. cxliv, 18. 
§ Cant. viii. 7. 


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237 


CHAPTER XXIV. 

THE FOLLY OF THOSE WHO DEFEE THEIR CON¬ 
VERSION. 

T HE considerations offered in the preceding 
chapters should be more than sufficient to 
excite men to the love and practice of 
virtue. However, sinners never seem to 
be in want of excuses to defend their loose lives. 
“A sinful man,” says the Scripture, “will flee 
reproof, and will find an excuse according to 
his will.”* “He that hath a mind to depart 
from a friend seeketh occasions.”! Thus the 
wicked, who flee reproach, who wish to with¬ 
draw from God, are never without an excuse. 
Some defer this important affair of salvation to 
an indefinite future ; others till the hour of 
death. Many allege that it is too difficult and 
arduous an undertaking. Many presume upon 
God’s mercy, persuading themselves that they 
Can be saved by faith and hope without charity. 
Others, in fine, who are enslaved by the plea¬ 
sures of the world, are unwilling to sacrifice 
them for the happiness which God promises. 
These are the snares most frequently employed 
by Satan to allure men to sin, and to keep them 
in its bondage until death surprises them. At 
present we intend to answer those who defer 
their conversion, alleging that they can turn to 
God more efficaciously at another time. With 
this excuse was St. Augustine kept back from a 

* Ecclus. xxxii. 21. + Prov. xviii. 1. 


238 


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virtuous life. “ Later, Lord,” lie cried—“ later 
I will abandon the world and sin.” 

It will not be difficult to prove that this is a 
ruse of the father of lies, whose office since the 
beginning of the world has been to deceive man. 
We know with certainty that there is nothing 
which a Christian should desire more earnestly 
than salvation. It is equally certain that to 
obtain it the sinner must change his life, since 
there is no other possible means of salvation. 
Therefore, all that remains for us is to decide 
when this amendment should begin. You say, 
at a future day. I answer, at this present mo¬ 
ment. You urge that later it will be easier. I 
insist that it will be easier now. Let us see 
which of us is right. 

Before we speak of the facility of conversion, 
tell me who has assured you that you will live 
to the time you have appointed for your amend¬ 
ment. Do you not know how many have been 
deceived by this hope ? St. Gregory tells us 
that “God promises to receive the repentant 
sinner when he returns to Him, but nowhere 
does He promise to give him to-morrow.” St. 
Ca?sarius thus expresses the same thought : 
“Some say, In my old age I will have recourse 
to penance ; but how can you promise yourself 
an old age, when your frail life cannot count 
with security upon one day ?” I cannot but 
think that the number of souls lost in this way 
is infinite. It was the cause of the ruin of the 
rich man in the Gospel, whose terrible history is 
related by St. Luke : “The land of a certain 
rich man brought forth plenty of fruits ; and he 


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239 


thought within himself, saying: What shall I 
do, because I have no room where to bestow my 
fruits ? And he said : This will I do : I will 
pull down my barns, and will build greater, 
and into them will I gather all things that are 
grown to me, and my goods ; and I will say to 
my soul: Soul, thou hast much goods laid up 
for many years ; take thy rest, eat, drink, make 
good cheer. But God said to him : Thou fool, 
this night do they require thy soul of thee ; and 
whose shall those things be which thou hast 
provided ?”* What greater folly than thus to 
dispose of the future, as if time were our own ! 
“ God,” says St. John,f “ holds the keys of life 
and death.” Yet a miserable worm of the earth 
dares usurp this power. Such insolence merits 
the punishment which the sinner usually re¬ 
ceives. Rejecting the opportunity God gives 
him for amendment, he is denied the time he 
has presumptuously chosen for penance, and 
thus miserably perishes in his sins. Since the 
number who are thus chastised is very great, 
let us profit by their misfortunes and heed the 
counsel of the Wise Man : “ Delay not to be 
converted to the Lord, and defer it not from 
day to day. For His wrath shall come on a 
sudden, and in the time of vengeance He will 
destroy thee.” J 

But, even granting that you will live as long 
as you imagine, will it be easier to begin your 
conversion now or some years hence ? To 
make this point clear we shall give a brief sum¬ 
mary of the causes which render a sincere con- 

* St. Luke xii. 16-21. t Apoc. i. 18. % Ecclus. v. 8,9. 


240 


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version difficult. The first of these causes is 
the tyranny of bad habits. So strong are these 
that many would die rather than relinquish 
them. Hence St. Jerome declares that a. long 
habit of sin robs virtue of all its sweetness. 
For habit becomes second nature, and to over¬ 
come it we must conquer nature itself, which 
is the greatest victory a man can achieve. 
“ When a vice is confirmed by habit,” says St. 
Bernard, “it cannot be extirpated except by 
a very special and even miraculous grace.” 
Therefore, there is nothing which a Christian 
should dread more than a habit of vice, because, 
like other things in this world, vice claims pre¬ 
scription, and once that is established it is 
almost impossible to root it out. A second 
cause of this difficulty is the absolute power 
which the devil has over a soul in sin. He is 
then the strongly-armed man mentioned in the 
Gospel, who does not easily relinquish what he 
has acquired. Another cause of this difficulty 
is the separation which sin makes between God 
and the soul. Though represented in Scrip¬ 
ture* as a sentinel guarding the walls of Jeru¬ 
salem, God withdraws farther and farther from 
a sinful soul, in proportion as her vices increase. 
We can learn the deplorable condition into 
which this separation plunges the soul from 
God Himself, Who exclaims by His prophet : 
“ Woe to them, for they have departed from Me. 
Woe to them when I shall depart from them.” f 
This abandonment by God is the second woe 
of which St. John speaks in the Apocalypse. 

* Isaias lx. t Osec vii. 13 and ix. 12. 


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241 


The last cause of this difficulty is the corrup¬ 
tion of sin, which weakens and impairs the 
faculties of the soul, not in themselves, but in 
their operations and effects. Sin darkens the 
understanding, excites the sensual appetites, 
and, though leaving it free, so weakens the will 
that it is unable to govern us. Being the in¬ 
struments of the soul, what but trouble and dis¬ 
order can be expected from these faculties in 
their weak and helpless state ? How, then, 
can you think that your conversion will be 
easier in the future, since every day increases 
the obstacles you now dread, and weakens the 
forces with which you must combat them ? If 
you cannot ford the present stream, how will 
you pass through it when it will have swollen 
to an angry torrent ? Perhaps you are now a 
prey to a dozen vices, which you tremble to 
attack. With what courage, but especially 
with what success, will you attack them when 
they will have increased a hundred-fold in num¬ 
bers and power ? If you are now baffled by a 
year or two of sinful habits, how can you resist 
their strength at the end of ten years ? Do 
you not see that this is a snare of the arch¬ 
enemy, who deceived our first parents, and who 
is continually seeking to deceive us also ? 

Can you, then, doubt that you only increase 
the difficulties of your conversion by deferring 
it ? Do you think that the more numerous 
your crimes the easier it will be to obtain a par¬ 
don ? Do you think that it will be easier to 
effect a cure when the disease will have become 
chronic ? “A long sickness is troublesome to 


242 


The Sinner's Guide. 


the physician, but a short one”—that is, one 
which is taken in the beginning—“is easily cut 
oft.” * Hear how an Angel disabused a holy 
solitary of an illusion like yours : Taking him 
by the hand, he led him into a field and showed 
him a man gathering fagots. Finding the 
bundle he had collected too heavy, the wood¬ 
cutter began to add to it; and perceiving that 
he was still less able to lift it, he continued to 
add to the quantity, imagining that he would 
thus carry it more easily. The holy man won¬ 
dering at what he saw, the Angel said to him : 
Such is the folly of men, who, unable to remove 
the present burden of their sins, continue to 
add to it sin after sin, foolishly supposing that 
they will more easily lift a heavier burden in 
the future. 

But among all these obstacles the greatest is 
the tyranny of evil habits. Would that I could 
make you understand the power with which 
they bind us ! As each blow of the hammer 
drives a nail farther and farther into the wood, 
until it can hardly be withdrawn, so every sin¬ 
ful action is a fresh blow which sinks vices 
deeper and deeper into our souls until it is 
almost impossible to uproot them. Thus it is 
not rare to see the sinner in his old age a prey 
to vices which have dishonored his youth, in 
which he is no longer capable of finding plea¬ 
sure, and which his years and the weakness of 
nature would repel, were he not bound to them 
by long-continued habit. Are we not told in 
Scripture that “the bones of the sinner shall 

* Ecclus. x. 11,12. 


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243 


be filled with the vices of his youth, and that 
they shall sleep with him in the dust”?* 
Thus we see that even death does not terminate 
the habit of vice; its terrible effects pass into 
eternity. It becomes a second nature, and is so 
imprinted in his flesh that it consumes him like a 
fatal poison for which there is scarcely any re¬ 
medy. This our Saviour teaches us in the resur¬ 
rection of Lazarus. He had raised other dead 
persons by a single word, but to restore Lazarus, 
who had been four days in the tomb, He had 
recourse to tears and prayers, to show us the 
miracle God effects when he raises to the life of 
grace a soul buried in a habit of sin. For, ac¬ 
cording to St. Augustine, the first of these four 
days represents the pleasure of sin ; the second, 
the consent; the third, the act; and the 
fourth, the habit of sin. Therefore, the sinner 
who has reached this fourth day can only be 
restored to life by the tears and prayers of our 
Saviour. 

But let us suppose that you will not be dis¬ 
appointed, that you will live to do penance. 
Think of the inestimable treasures you are now 
losing and how bitterly you will regret them 
when too late. While your fellow-Christians 
are enriching themselves for Heaven, you are 
idling away your time in the childish follies of 
the world. 

Besides this, think of the evil you are accu¬ 
mulating. We should not, says St. Augustine, 
commit one venial sin even to gain the whole 
world. How, then, can you so carelessly heap 

* Job xx. 11. 


244 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


up mortal sins, when the salvation of a thou¬ 
sand worlds would not justify one ? How 
dare you offend with impunity Him at Whose 
feet you must kneel for mercy, in Whose hands 
lies your eternal destiny ? Can you afford to 
defy Him of Whom you have such urgent need ? 
“Tell me,” says St. Bernard, “you who live in 
sin, do you think God will pardon you or not ? 
If you think He will reject you, is it not 
foolish to continue to sin when you have no 
hope of pardon ? And if you rely upon His 
goodness to pardon you, notwithstanding your 
innumerable offences, what can be more base 
than the ingratitude with which you presume 
upon His mercy, which, instead of exciting you 
to love Him, only leads you to offend Him ?” 
How can you answer this argument of the 
Saint ? 

Consider also the tears with which you will 
expiate your present sins. If God visit you one 
day, if He cause you to hear His voice (and 
alas for you if He do not!), be assured that 
the remorse for your sins will be so bitter that 
you will wdsli you had suffered a thousand 
deaths rather than have offended so good a 
Master. David indulged but a short time in 
sinful pleasures, yet behold how bitter was his 
sorrow, how long he wept for his sins. “I 
have labored in my groanings,” he cried; “ every 
night I will wash my bed, I wiil water my 
couch with my tears.”* Why, then, will you 
sow what you can only reap in tears? Con¬ 
sider, moreover, the obstacles to virtue which 

*• Ps. vi. 7. 


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245 


continual sin establishes in us. Moses com¬ 
pelled the children of Israel, in punishment of 
their idolatry, to drink the ashes of the golden 
calf which they had adored.* God often in¬ 
flicts a like punishment upon sinners, permit¬ 
ting their very bones to become so impregnated 
with the effects of sin that the idol which they 
formerly worshipped becomes for them a pun¬ 
ishment and a constant source of torment. 

Let me call your attention to the foolish 
choice you make in selecting old age as a time 
for repentance, and permitting your youth to 
go fruitlessly by. What would you think of a 
man who, having several beasts of burden, put 
all the weight upon the weakest, letting the 
others go unloaded ? Greater is the folly of 
those Christians who assign all the burden of 
penance to old age, which can hardly support 
itself, and who spend in idleness the vigorous 
years of youth. Seneca has admirably said that 
he who waits until old age to practise virtue 
clearly shows that he desires to give to virtue only 
the time of which he can make no other use.f 
And do not lose sight of the satisfaction God 
requires for sin, which is so great that, in the 
opinion of St. John Climachus, man can with 
difficulty satisfy each day for the faults he 
commits each day. Why, then, will you con¬ 
tinue to accumulate the debt of sin and defer 
its payment to old age, which can so poorly sat¬ 
isfy for its own transgressions? St. Gregory 
considers this the basest treason, and says that 
he who defers the duty of penance to old age 

* Exod. xxxii. 20. + “ De Brev. Vitae,” cap. 15. 


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falls far short of the allegiance he owes to God, 
and has much reason to fear that he will be a 
victim of God’s justice rather than the object 
of that mercy upon which he has so rashly pre¬ 
sumed. 

But apart from all these considerations, if 
you have any sense of justice or honesty will 
not the benefits you have received and the re¬ 
wards you are promised induce you to be less 
sparing in the service of so liberal a Master ? 
How wise is the counsel we read in Ecclesias- 
ticus : “Let nothing binder thee from praying 
always, and be not afraid to be justified even to 
death ; for the reward of God continueth for 
ever.” * Since the reward is to continue as 
long as God remains in Heaven, why should not 
your service continue as long as you remain 
upon earth ? If the duration of the recom¬ 
pense is limitless, why will you limit the time 
of your service ? 

You hope, no doubt, to be saved ; therefore, 
you must believe yourself of the number of 
those whom God has predestined. Will you, 
then, wait until the end of your life to serve 
Him Who has loved you and chosen you heir 
to His kingdom from all eternity ? Will you 
be so ungenerous with Him Whose generosity to 
you has been boundless ? The span of human 
life is so limited, how can you dare rob this 
generous Benefactor of the greatest part, leav¬ 
ing Him only the smallest and most worthless 
portion? “Dregs alone,” says Seneca, “re¬ 
main at the bottom of a vessel.” “ Cursed is 


* Ecclus. xviii. 22. 


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247 


the deceitful man,” says God, “ that hath in his 
flock a male, and making a vow offereth in 
sacrifice that which is feeble to the Lord; for 
I am a great King, saith the Lord of hosts, and 
My % name is dreadful among the gentiles.”* 
In other words, none but great services are 
worthy of His greatness. Imperfect offerings 
are an affront to His majesty. Will you, then, 
give the best and most beautiful part of your 
life to the service of the devil, and reserve for 
God only that portion which the world refuses ? 
He has said that there shall not be in thy house 
a greater measure and a less ; that thou shalt 
have a just and true weight.f Yet, in contra¬ 
diction to this law, you have two unequal mea¬ 
sures —a great one for the devil, whom you treat 
as your friend, and a small one for God, Whom 
you treat as your enemy. 

If all these benefits fail to touch you, do not 
be insensible to the favor your Heavenly Fa¬ 
ther has conferred upon you in giving His Di¬ 
vine Son to redeem you. Were you possessed 
of an infinite number of lives you would owe 
them all in payment—and they would be but a 
small return—for that Life, more precious than 
that of Angels and men, which was offered for 
you. How, then, can you refuse the service of 
your miserable life to Him Who sacrificed Him¬ 
self for you ? 

I shall conclude this chapter with a passage 
from Ecclesiastes in which man is exhorted to 
give himself to the service of his Creator in his 
youth, and not to defer it till old age, the infir- 

* Mai. i. 14. + Deut. xxv. 14, 15. 


248 The Sinner's Guide. 

mities of which are described under curious and 
admirable figures : “ Remember thy Creator in 
the days of thy youth, before the time of afflic¬ 
tion comes, and the years draw nigh of which 
thou shalt say : They please me not ; before 
the sun, and the light, and the moon, and' the 
stars be darkened ; when the keepers of the 
house [that is, the hands] shall tremble, and the 
strong men [the legs, which support the frame] 
shall stagger, and the teeth shall be few and 
idle ; when they that looked through the eyes 
[the faculties of the soul] shall be darkened ; 
when they shall shut the doors in the street 
[that is, the senses, by which we communicate 
with the outer world] ; when man shall rise 
with the bird [for old age requires little sleep]; 
when all the daughters of music shall grow' 
deaf [for the organs of the voice grow weak and 
narrow]; w 7 hen man shall fear high things and 
be afraid in the way [for old age shuns a steep 
and rugged w T ay, and trembles as it walks]; 
when the almond-tree shall flourish [that is, 
when the head shall be crowned with white 
hair]; when man shall enter the house of his 
eternity [which is the tomb]; when his friends 
shall lament and mourn for him; and when 
dust shall return to the earth whence it came, 
and the spirit shall return to God Who gave 
it.” * 

Therefore, defer not your repentance until 
old age, when virtue will seem a necessity ra¬ 
ther than a choice, and when it may be said 
that your vices have left you, rather than that 

♦Eccles. xii. 1-8 


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249 


you have left them. Remember, however, that 
old age is generally what youth has been ; for, 
as the sacred writer observes, “how shalt thou 
find in thy old age the things thou hast not gath¬ 
ered in thy youth ? ” * Let me urge you, then, 
in the words of the same inspired author, to 
“ give thanks whilst thou art living and in health, 
to praise God and glory in His mercies. ” f 
Among those who waited at the pool of Beth- 
saida X he only was cured who first plunged in¬ 
to the water after it had been moved by the 
Angel. The salvation of our soul, in like man¬ 
ner, depends upon the promptness and submis¬ 
sion with which we obey the inspiration with 
which God moves us. Delay not, therefore, 
dear Christian, but make all the haste you can; 
and if, as the prophet says, “you shall hear His 
voice to-day,” § defer not your answer till to¬ 
morrow, but set about a work the difficulty of 
which will be so much lessened by a timely be¬ 
ginning. 


CHAPTER XXV. 

OF THOSE WHO DEFER TIIEIR CONVERSION - UN¬ 
TIL THE HOUR OF DEATH. 

T HE arguments we have just stated should 
certainly be sufficient to convince men of 
the folly of death-bed repentances ; for if 
it be so dangerous to defer penance from 
day to day, what must be the consequence of 

* Ecclus. xxv. 5. t xvii. 27. + St. John v. 4. § Ps. xciv. 8. 



250 


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deferring it until the hour of death ? But as 
this is a very general error, causing the ruin of 
many souls, we shall devote a special chapter to 
it. The reflections which we are about to make 
may alarm and discourage weak souls, but the 
consequences of presumption are still more 
fatal, for a greater number is lost through false 
confidence than through excessive fear. There¬ 
fore, we, who are one of the sentinels mentioned 
by Ezechiel, must warn you of these dangers, 
that you may not rush blindly to your ruin, 
and that your blood may not be upon us. As 
the safest light for us is that of Holy Scrip¬ 
ture, interpreted by the Bathers and Doctors of 
the Church, we shall first study their opinions 
on this subject, and afterwards we shall learn 
what God Himself teaches us by His inspired 
writers. 

Before entering upon the subject we must 
bear in mind an undeniable principle, concern¬ 
ing which St. Augustine and all the holy Doc¬ 
tors are agreed—namely, that as true repent¬ 
ance is the work of God, so He can inspire it 
when and where He wills. Hence if the heart 
of the sinner, even at the hour of death, be 
filled with true contrition for his sins, it will avail 
him for salvation. But, to show you how rare 
such examples of repentance are, I shall give you 
the testimony of the Saints and. Doctors of the 
Church. I do not ask you to believe me, but 
believe them, the chosen instruments of the 
Holy Ghost. And first hear St. Augustine. 
In a work entitled “ True and False Penance ” 
he says : “ Let no one hope to do penance when 


The Sinner's Guide. 


251 


he can no longer sin. God wishes us to per¬ 
form this work cheerfully and not through com¬ 
pulsion. Therefore, he who, instead of leaving 
his sins, waits until they leave him, acts from 
necessity rather than from choice. For this 
reason they who would not return to God when 
they could, hut are willing to seek Him when 
they are no longer able to sin, will not so easily 
obtain what they desire.” Speaking of the 
character of true conversion, he says : “ He is 
truly converted who turns to God with his 
whole heart, who not only fears punishment 
but earnestly desires to merit God's graces and 
favors. Should any one turn to God in this 
way, even at the end of his life, we would have 
no reason to despair of his salvation. But as 
examples of this perfect conversion are very 
rare, we cannot but tremble for one who defers 
his repentance until the hour of death. More¬ 
over, if he obtain the pardon of his sins their 
temporal punishment is not remitted ; he must 
expiate them in the fire of Purgatory, the pain 
of which is greater than any suffering known 
on earth. Never did the martyrs in their most 
terrible torments, never did malefactors, though 
subjected to all the cruelties which human 
malice could invent, endure sufferings equal to 
those of Purgatory. Let him, then, if he 
would avoid these dreadful punishments after 
death, begin from this time to amend his 
life.” 

St. Ambrose, in his book on Penance, which 
some attribute to St. Augustine, treats of this 
subject at great length. Here is one of the 


The Sinner's Guide. 


252 

many excellent things he tells ns : “If a man 
ask for the Sacrament of Penance on his death¬ 
bed, we do not refuse him what he asks, but 
we are far from assuring you that if he ^ die 
after it he is on the way to Heaven. It is 
more than we dare affirm or promise, for we 
would not deceive you. But if you would be 
relieved of this uncertainty, if you would dissi¬ 
pate this doubt, do penance for your sins while 
you are in health, and then I can positively as¬ 
sure you that you will be in a good way, for 
you will have repented for your crimes when 
you might have been increasing them. If, on 
the contrary, you defer your repentance until 
you are no longer able to sin, it will not be that 
you have abandoned your sins, but rather that 
itliey have abandoned you.” St. Isidore forci¬ 
bly expresses the same truth : “ Would you 
have a hope of being pardoned your sins at the 
hour of death, do penance for them while you 
are able. But if you spend your life in wicked¬ 
ness, and still hope for forgiveness at your 
death, you are running a most serious risk. 
Though you are not sure that you will be 
damned, your salvation is by no means more 
certain.” 

The authorities which we have just quoted 
are very alarming ; yet the words of St. Jerome, 
uttered as he lay in sackcloth upon the ground 
awaiting his last hour, are still more terri¬ 
fying. I dare not give his words in all their 
rigor, lest I should discourage weak souls ; but 
I refer him who desires to read them to an 
epistle on the death of St. Jerome written by 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


253 


his disciple Eusebius fo a bishop named Dama- 
sus. I will quote only this passage : “ He who 
daily perseveres in sin will probably say : ‘ When 
I am going to die I shall do penance.’ Oh! 
melancholy consolation ! Penance at the hour 
of death is a very doubtful remedy for him who 
has always done evil, and has thought of pen¬ 
ance only as a dream, to be realized in the un¬ 
certain future. Wearied by suffering; dis¬ 
tracted with grief at parting from family, 
friends, and worldly possessions which he can 
no longer enjoy ; a prey to bitter anguish, how 
will he raise his heart to God or conceive a true 
sorrow for his sins ? He has never done so in 
life, and he would not do it now had he any 
hope of recovery. What kind of penance must 
that be which a man performs when life itself 
is leaving him ? I have known rich worldlings 
who have recovered from bodily sickness only 
to render the health of their souls still more 
deplorable. Here is what I think, what I 
know, for I have learned it by a long experience: 
If he who has been a slave to sin during life 
die a happy death, it is only by an extraordi¬ 
nary miracle of grace.” 

St. Gregory expresses himself not less strong¬ 
ly upon thi< subject. Writing upon these words 
of Job, “What is the hope of the hypocrite, 
if through covetousness he take by violence ? 
Will God hear his cry when distress shall come 
upon him?”* he says : “If a man be deaf to 
God’s voice in prosperity, God will refuse to 
hear him in adversity, for it is written : ‘He 

* Job xxvii. 8, 9. 


254 


The Shiner 1 s Guide . 


that tnrneth away his ears from hearing the 
law, his prayer shall he an abomination.’ ” * 
And Hugh of St. Victor, comprehending in one 
sentence the teaching of the Fathers, says : 
“It is very difficult for that penance to be true 
which comes at the hour of death, for we hare 
much reason to suspect it because it is forced.” 

You now know the sentiments of these great 
Doctors of the Church on death-bed repentance. 
See, then, what folly it would be in you to 
contemplate without fear a passage of which 
the most skilful pilots speak with terror. A 
life-time is not too long to learn how to die 
well. At the hour of death our time is suffi¬ 
ciently occupied in dying. We have then no 
leisure to learn the lesson of dying well. 

The teaching of the Fathers which we have 
just given is also the teaching of the doctors 
of the schools. Among the many authorities 
whom we could quote we shall select Scotus, 
one of the most eminent, who, after treating 
this subject at great length, concludes that 
conversion at the hour of death is so difficult 
that it is rarely true repentance. He supports 
his conclusion by these four reasons : 

First, because the physical pains and weak¬ 
ness which precede death prevent a man from 
elevating his heart to God or fulfilling the 
duties of true repentance. To understand this 
you must know that uncontrolled passions lead 
man’s free-will where they please. Now, philo¬ 
sophers teach that the passions which excite 
sorrow are much stronger than those which 

* Prov. xxviii. 9. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


255 


cause joy. Hence it follows that no passions, 
no sentiments exceed in intensity the passions 
and sentiments awakened by the approach of 
death ; for, as Aristotle tells us, death is the 
most terrible of all terrible things. To suffer¬ 
ings of body it unites anguish of soul awakened 
by parting from loved ones and from all that bind 
our affections to this world. When, therefore, 
the passions are so strong and turbulent, whither 
can man’s will and thoughts turn but to those 
things to which these violent emotions draw 
them ? We see how difficult it is even for a 
man exercised in virtue to turn his thoughts to 
God or spiritual things when his body is racked 
with pain. How much more difficult will it be 
for the sinner to turn his thoughts from his 
body, which he has always preferred to his soul! 

I myself knew a man who enjoyed a reputa¬ 
tion for virtue, but who, when told that his last 
hour was at hand, was so terrified that he 
could think of nothing but applying remedies 
to ward off the terrible moment. A priest who 
was present exhorted him to turn his thoughts 
to his soul’s interests; but he impatiently re¬ 
pelled his counsels, and in these clisedifying dis¬ 
positions soon after expired. Judge by this 
example the trouble which the presence of 
death excites in those who have an inordinate 
love for this life, if one who loves it in modera¬ 
tion cling to it so tenaciously regardless of the 
interests of the life to come. 

The second reason given by Scotus is that 
repentance should be voluntary, not forced. 
Hence St. Augustine tells us that a man must 


256 


The Sinner's Guide. 


not only fear but love his Judge. We cannot 
think that one who has refused to repent dur¬ 
ing life, and only has recourse to this remedy at 
the hour of death, seeks it freely and volun¬ 
tarily. 

Such was the repentance of Semei for his 
outrage against David when be fled from his 
son Absalom. When King David returned in 
triumph Semei went forth to meet him with 
tears and supplications ; but though David then 
spared his life, on his death-bed he enjoined his 
son Solomon to deal with the traitor according 
to his deserts.* Similar is the repentance of 
Christians who, after outraging God with im¬ 
punity during life, piteously claim His mercy 
at the hour of death. We may judge of the 
sincerity of such repentance by the conduct of 
many who have been restored to health, for 
they are no sooner released from the imminent 
fear of death than they relapse into the same 
disorders. The salutary sentiments excited by 
fear, and not by virtue, vanish when the danger 
is past. 

The third reason is that a habit of sin con¬ 
firmed by long indulgence accompanies man as 
inseparably as the shadow does the body, even 
to the tomb. It becomes, as we have said, a 
second nature which it is almost impossible to 
conquer. How often do we see old men on the 
verge of the grave as hardened to good, and as 
eager for honors and wealth, which they know 
they cannot take with them, as if they were at 
the beginning of their career ! 

* 2 Kings xvi. and xix., and 3 Kings ii. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


257 


This is a punishment, says St. Gregory, which 
God frequently inflicts upon sin, permitting it 
to accompany its author even to the tomb ; for 
the sinner, who has forgotten God during life, 
too often forgets his own eternal interests at this 
I terrible hour. We have frequent and striking 
proof of this, for how often do we hear of per¬ 
sons who refuse to be separated from the objects 
of their sinful love even at their last hour, and, 
by a just judgment of God, expire wholly for¬ 
getful of what is due to their Maker and their 
own souls ! 

idie fourth reason given by Scotus is taken 
from the value of actions done at such a time ; 
for it is manifest to all who have any know¬ 
ledge of God that He is much less pleased with 
services offered at this hour than with the same 
services offered under different circumstances. 
“What merit is there,” says the virgin and 
martyr St. Lucy, “ in giving up what you arc 
forced to leave,” in pardoning an injury which 
it would be a dishonor to avenge, or in break¬ 
ing sinful bonds which you can no longer 
maintain ? 

From these reasons this doctor concludes 
that repentance at the hour of death is a dan¬ 
gerous and difficult matter. He goes even far¬ 
ther, and affirms that the act by which a Chris¬ 
tian deliberately resolves to defer his conversion 
till the hour of death is in itself a mortal sin, 
because of the injury he thereby inflicts on his 
soul, and because of the peril to which he ex¬ 
poses his salvation. 

As the final decision of this question depends 


238 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


on the word of God, I pray you to hear what 
He teaches us through Holy Scripture. The 
Eternal Wisdom, after inviting men to practise 
virtue, utters by the mouth of Solomon the fol¬ 
lowing malediction against those who are deaf 
to His voice: “ Because I called, and you re¬ 
fused ; I stretched out my hand, and there was 
none that regarded. You have despised, all My 
counsels, and have neglected My reprehensions. 

I also will laugh in your destruction, and will 
mock when that shall come to you which you 
feared. When sudden calamity shall fall on 
you, and destruction as a tempest shall be*at 
hand ; when tribulation and distress shall come 
upon you, then shall they call upon Me, and I 
will not hear. They shall rise in the morning, 
and shall not find Me, because they have hated 
instruction, and received not the fear of the 
Lord, nor consented to My counsel, but despised 
all My reproof.” * We have the authority of 
St. Gregory for saying that these words of the 
Holy Ghost apply to our present subject. Are 
they not sufficient to open your eyes and deter¬ 
mine you to save yourself from God’s vengeance 
by a timely preparation for this terrible hour ? 

In the Hew Testament we find no less strik¬ 
ing authority. Our Saviour, when speaking to 
His Apostles of the day of His coming, never 
fails to warn them to be always ready. “ Blessed 
is that servant,” He says, “ whom when his 
lord shall come he shall find watching. Amen 
I say to you, he shall place him over all his 
goods. But if the evil servant shall say in his 

* Prcv. i. 24-81. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


259 


heart: My lord is long coming, and shall be¬ 
gin to strike his fellow-servants, and shall eat 
and drink with drunkards, the lord of that 
servant shall come in a day that he hopeth not, 
and at an hour that he knoweth not, and shall 
separate him, and appoint his portion with the 
hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnash¬ 
ing of teeth.”* In this parable our Saviour, 
Who reads the secret designs of the wicked, tells 
them what they are to expect and what will be 
the result of - their vain confidence. You arc 
this bad servant, since you cherish the same de¬ 
signs in your heart, and seize the present time 
to eat and drink and gratify every passion. 
Why do you not fear the wrath of Him Who is 
all-powerful to execute what He threatens ? It 
is to you that His menaces are addressed. 
Awake, unhappy soul! and hasten to profit by 
the time that remains to you. 

We are devoting much time to this subject, 
which ought to be clear to all, but we must do 
so, since there are so many unhappy Christians 
who endeavor to satisfy their consciences with 
this false excuse. Hear, then, another lesson of 
our Saviour: “ Then shall the Kingdom of 
Heaven,”He says, “be like to ten virgins who, 
taking their lamps, went out to meet the bride¬ 
groom and the bride.” What time does our 
Saviour indicate by then ? The hour of gene¬ 
ral judgment and of each particular judgment, 
St. Augustine replies, for the sentence uttered 
in secret immediately after death will be rati¬ 
fied before all men on the last day. Five of 

* Matt. xxiv. 4G to end. 


260 


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these virgins were wise and five were foolish, 
our Saviour continues. The foolish virgins took 
no oil with them for their lamps, and when at 
midnight—a time of profoundest slumber, when 
men give least thought to their interests—a cry 
was heard, “The bridegroom cometh,”all the 
virgins arose, and they who had trimmed their 
lamps and furnished them with oil went in to 
the marriage, and the door was shut. When 
the foolish virgins, who had gone to seek oil for 
their lamps, came, saying, “Lord, Lord, open 
to us,” He answered them saying, “Amen I 
say to yon, I know you not.” Our Saviour con¬ 
cludes the parable with these words : “ Watch, 
therefore, because you know not the day nor the 
hour.” Could we ask a plainer warning than 
this ? Could we desire a clearer condemnation 
of the folly of those who rely on death-bed re¬ 
pentances ? 

You will perhaps urge in opposition to all 
this that the good thief was saved at the last 
hour. St. Augustine answers this objection by 
saying that the good thief received in one hour 
the grace of conversion and baptism, which be¬ 
ing immediately followed by death, his soul 
went directly to Paradise. Moreover, the con¬ 
version of the go< d thief was one of the many 
mirncles which marked our Saviour’s coming, 
one of the chief testimonies to His glory. The 
rocks were rent ; the earth trembled ; the sun 
refused to give his light ; the graves were 
opened and the dead came forth to bear wit¬ 
ness to the Divinity of Him Who was crucified. 
For a like purpose the grace of repentance was 


The Sinner's Guide. 


261 


bestowed on the good thief, whose confession of 
Christ was no less wonderful than his conver¬ 
sion, for he acknowledged Christ when the 
Apostles fled from Him and denied Him ; he 
glorified Christ when the world blasphemed and 
insulted Him. This miracle being one of the 
extraordinary marvels marking the coming of 
Christ, it is folly to expect that it will be re¬ 
peated in our behalf. Ho; St. Paul tells us 
that the end of the wicked corresponds to their 
works. This is a truth which is constantly re¬ 
peated in Holy Scripture. It is sung by the 
Psalmist; foretold by the Prophets ; announced 
by the Evangelists ; and preached by the Apos¬ 
tles. 

Others argue that attrition joined to the sac¬ 
raments suffices to obtain the pardon of sin, and 
claim that at the hour of death they will have 
at least attrition. But they should remember 
that the attrition which, joined to the sacra¬ 
ments, obtains the pardon of sin is a special de¬ 
gree of sorrow, and God only can know whether 
they possess it. 

The holy Doctors were not ignorant of the 
efficacy of attrition joined to the sacraments, 
yet see how little confidence they had in death¬ 
bed repentances. “ We give the Sacrament of 
Penance to such a sinner who asks for it,” says 
St. Ambrose, “ but we give him no assurance 
of salvation.” 

If you cite the example of the Ninivites, 
whose conversion was the effect of fear, 1 would 
remind you not only of the rigorous penance 
they performed, but of the amendment which 


262 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


was wrought in their lives. Let there be the 
same amendment in your life, and you will not 
fail to find equal mercy. But when I see that 
you no sooner recover your health than you re¬ 
lapse into your former disorders, what am I to 
think of your repentance ? 

What we have said in this and the preceding 
chapters is not intended to close the door of 
hope or salvation against any one. Our only 
intention is to rout the sinner from the strong¬ 
hold in which he entrenches himself that he 
may continue to sin. Tell me, dear Christian, 
for the love of God, how you dare expose your¬ 
self to such peril when the Fathers of the 
Church, the Saints, Holy Scripture, and reason 
itself unite in warning you of the dangers at¬ 
tending a repentance deferred until the hour of 
death ? In what do you place your confidence ? 
In the prayers and Masses you will have offered 
for you ? In the money you will leave for good 
works ? Alas ! the foolish virgins filled their 
lamps at the last hour, but they called in vain 
upon the Bridegroom. Do you think your tears 
will avail you at that time ? Tears, no doubt, 
are powerful, and blessed is he who weeps in 
sincerity ; but your tears, like those of Esau, 
who sold his birthright to satisfy his gluttony, 
will flow, not for your sins, but for what you 
have lost; and like his, as the Apostle tells us, 
they will flow in vain.* Will your promises 
and good resolutions help you ? Good resolu¬ 
tions are'excellent when sincere, but remember 
what edifying and valiant resolutions Antiochus 

* Heb. xii. 17. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


263 


formed wlien the hand of God had been laid 
upon him. Yet Holy Scripture tells us : “ This 
wicked man prayed to the Lord, of Whom he 
was not to obtain mercy.” * And why ? Be¬ 
cause his good purposes and resolutions sprang 
not from love, but from servile fear, which, 
though commendable, is not sufficient of itself 
to justify the sinner. The fear of hell can arise 
from the love man naturally bears himself, but 
love of self gives us no right to Heaven. As no 
one clothed in sackcloth could enter the palace 
of Assuerus,f so no one can enter Heaven 
clothed in the dress of a slave—that is, with the 
garment of servile fear. We must be clothed 
with the wedding garment of love, if we would 
be admitted to the palace of the King of kings. 
I conjure you, then, dear Christian, to think of 
this hour which must inevitably come to you. 
And it may not be far distant. But a few years, 
and you will experience the truth of my predic¬ 
tions. You will find yourself distracted with 
pain, filled with anguish and terror at the ap¬ 
proach of death and'at the thought of the eter¬ 
nal sentence which is about to be pronounced 
upon you. Vainly will you then essay to change 
it, to soften its rigor. But that which will be 
impossible then is not only possible but easily 
accomplished now, for it is in your own power 
to make your sentence what you will wish it at 
the hour of death. Lose no time, therefore; 
hasten to propitiate your Judge. Follow the 
counsel of the prophet, and “seek the Lord 
while He may be found; call upon Him while 

* 2 Much. ix. 13. 1 Esther iv. 2. 


264 


The Sinner's Guide . 


He is near.” * He is now near to hear us, 
though we cannot see Him. On the day of 
judgment we shall see Him, but He will not 
hear us, unless we now live so as to merit this 
blessing from Him. 


CHAPTER XXYI. 

OF THOSE WHO CONTINUE IN' SIN, TRUSTING 
IN THE MERCY OF GOD. 

B ESIDES those who defer their conversion 
till the hour of death, there are others 
who persevere in sin, trusting in the mer¬ 
cy of God and the merits of His Passion. 
We must now disabuse them of this illusion. 

You say that God’s mercy is great, since He 
died on the cross for the salvation of sinners. 
It is indeed great, and a striking proof of its 
greatness is the fact that He bears with the 
blasphemy and malice of those who so presume 
upon the merits of His death as to make His 
cross, which was intended to destroy the king¬ 
dom of evil, a reason for multiplying sin. Had 
you a thousand lives you would owe them all 
to Him, yet you rob Him of that one life which 
you have and for which He died. This crime 
was more bitter to our Saviour than death itself. 
For it He reproaches us by the mouth of His 
prophet, though He does not complain of His 
sufferings: “The wicked have wrought upon 
My back ; they have extended their iniquity.” f 

* Isaias Iv. 6. t Ps. cxxviii. 3. 



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Who taught yon to reason that because God 
was good you could sin with impunity ? Such is 
not the teaching of the Holy Spirit. On the con¬ 
trary, those who listen to His voice reason thus : 
God is good ; therefore, I must serve Him, obey 
Him, and love Him above all things. God is 
good ; therefore, I will turn to Him with all my 
heart ; I will hope for pardon, notwithstanding 
the number and enormity of my sins. God is 
good ; therefore, I must be good if I would imi¬ 
tate Him. God is good ; therefore, it would be 
base ingratitude in me to offend Him by sin. 
Thus, the greater you represent God’s goodness, 
the more heinous are your crimes against Him. 
Nor will these olfences remain unpunished, for 
God’s justice, which protects His mercy, cannot 
permit your sinful abuse of it to remain un¬ 
avenged. 

This is not a new pretext; the world has long 
made use of it. In ancient times it distinguish¬ 
ed the false from the true prophets. While the 
latter announced to the people, in God’s name, 
the justice with which He would punish their 
iniquities, the former, speaking in their own 
name, promised them mercy which was but a 
false peace and security. 

You say God’s mercy is great; but if you pre¬ 
sume upon it you show that you have never 
studied the greatness of His justice. Had you 
done so you would cry out with the Psalmist: 
“Who knoweth the power of Thy anger, 0 
Lord ! and for Thy fear who can number Thy 
wrath ?” * 


* Ps. Ixxxix. 11. 


2C6 


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But to dissipate your illusion let me ask you 
to contemplate this justice in the only way in 
which we may have any knowledge of it—that is, 
in its effects here below. 

Besides the result we are seeking we shall reap 
another excellent advantage by exciting in our 
hearts the fear of God, which, in the opinion of 
the Saints, is the treasure and defence of the 
soi^l. Without the fear of God the soul is like 
a ship without ballast; the winds of human or 
divine favor may sweep it to destruction. Not¬ 
withstanding that she may be richly laden with 
virtue, she is in continual danger of being 
wrecked on the rocks of temptation, if she be 
not stayed by this ballast of the fear of God. 
Therefore, not only those who have just entered 
God’s service, but those who have long been of 
His household, should continue in this salutary 
fear; the former by reason of their past trans¬ 
gressions, the latter on account of their weak¬ 
ness, which exposes them to danger at every 
moment. 

This holy fear is the effect of grace, and is 
preserved in the soul by frequent meditation. 
To aid you in this reflection we shall here pro¬ 
pose a few of the practical proofs of the great¬ 
ness of God’s justice. 

The first work of God’s justice was the repro¬ 
bation of the Angels. “All the ways of God 
are mercy and justice,” * says David ; but until 
the fall of the Angels divine justice had not 
been manifested. It had been shut up in the 
bosom of God like a sword in the scabbard, 

* Ps. xxiv. 10. 


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like that sword of which Ezechiel * speaks with 
alarm, foretelling the ruin it will cause. This 
first sin drew the sword of justice from its 
scabbard, and terrible was the destruction it 
wrought. Contemplate its effects ; raise your 
eyes and behold one of the most brilliant beings 
of God’s house, a resplendent image of the di¬ 
vine beauty, flung with lightning-like rapidity f 
from a glorious throne in Heaven to the utter¬ 
most depths of hell, for one thought of pride. 
The prince of heavenly spirits becomes the chief 
of devils. His beauty and glory are changed 
into deformity and ignominy. God’s favorite 
subject is changed into His bitterest enemy, and 
will continue such for all eternity. With what 
awe this must have filled the Angels, who knew 
the greatness of his fall! With what astonish¬ 
ment they repeat the words of Isaias : “How 
art thou fallen from Heaven, 0 Lucifer, who 
didst rise in the morning ! ” J 

Consider also the fall of man, which would 
have been no less terrible than that of the 
Angels, if it had not been repaired. Behold 
in it the cause of all the miseries we suffer 
on earth : original and actual sin, suffering of 
body and mind, death, and the ruin of num¬ 
berless souls who have been lost for ever. Ter¬ 
rible are the calamities it brought upon us; 
and even greater would be our misfortunes had 
not Christ, by His death, bound the power 
of sin and redeemed us from its slavery. How 
rigorous, therefore, was the justice of God in 
thus punishing man’s rebellion ; but how great 

* Ezech. xxi. t Luke x. 18. J Isaias xiv. 12. 


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was Ilis goodness in restoring him to His friend¬ 
ship ! 

In addition to the penalties imposed on the 
human race for the sin of Adam, new and re¬ 
peated punishments have at different times been 
inflicted upon mankind for the crimes they have 
committed. In the time of Noe the whole world 
was destined by the deluge.* Fire and brim¬ 
stone from heaven consumed the wicked inhabi¬ 
tants of Sodom and Gomorrha.f The earth 
opened and swallowed alive into hell Core, Da- 
tlian, and Abiron for resisting the authority of 
Moses. I Nadab and Abiu, sons of Aaron, were 
destroyed by a sudden flame from the sanctuary 
because they offered strange fire in the sacrifice, § 
Neither their priestly character, nor the sanctity 
of their father, nor the intimacy with God of 
their uncle, Moses, could obtain for them any 
remission for their fault. Recall the example of 
Ananias and Sapphira, struck dead by God for 
telling a lie.j But the strongest proof of 
the rigor of God’s justice was the satisfaction 
required for sin, which was nothing less than 
the death of His only-begotten Son. Think of 
this Price of man’s Redemption, and you will 
begin to realize what sin is and how the justice 
* of God regards it. Think, too, of the eternity 
of hell, and judge of the rigor of that justice 
which inflicts such punishment. This justice 
terrifies you, but it is no less certain than the 
mercy in which you trust. Yes, through end¬ 
less ages God will look upon the indescribable 

% Num. xvi. 

1 Acts v. 


* Gen. vii. 

§ Levit. x. 


t Gen. xix. 


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torments of the damned, but they will excite in 
Him no compassion ; they will not move Him to 
limit their sufferings or give them any hope of re¬ 
lief. Oh ! mysterious depths of divine justice ! 
Who can reflect upon them and not tremble ? 

Another subject to which I would call your 
serious attention is the state of the world. 
Reflect on this, and you will begin to realize the 
rigors of God’s justice. 

As an increase in virtue is the effect and re¬ 
ward of virtue, so likewise an increase in sin is 
the effect and punishment of sin. Indeed, it is 
one of the greatest chastisements that can bo 
inflicted on us, when we are permitted, through 
blindness and passion, to rush headlong down 
the broad road of vice, adding sin to sin every 
day and hour of our lives. This is but just; for 
wdien man once mortally sins he loses all right 
to any help from God. It is owing solely to 
the divine mercy wdien he is converted. Look, 
therefore, over the world, and behold the great¬ 
ness of its iniquity. Think of the millions who 
are living in infidelity and heresy. Think how 
many calling themselves Christians are daily 
betraying their name by their scandalous lives. 

Why is this sad condition permitted ? Ah ! 
it is owing to man’s crimes. God is disobeyed, 
insulted, and mocked by the majority of men, 
and His long-suffering justice, being wearied by 
their wickedness, permits them to go on in 
their mad career. St. Augustine is an illus¬ 
trious example of this. “ I was plunged,” he 
says, “in iniquity, and Thy anger was aroused 
against me, but I knew it not. I w'as deaf to 


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the noise which the chains of my sins made. 
But this ignorance, this deafness, were the pun¬ 
ishments of my pride.” 

Reflect on this. Men act freely when they 
sin, for no man is forced to do wrong. But 
when they have fallen they cannot rise without 
the divine assistance. Now, God owes this to 
no man. It is His gratuitous gift when he re¬ 
stores the sinner to His favor. Hence He but 
exercises His justice when He permits him to 
remain in his misery, and even to fall lower. 

When, therefore, we behold so much iniquity, 
have we not reason to feel that God’s justice 
permits men to become so blinded and harden¬ 
ed ? I say permits, for man is the cause of his 
own miseries; God urges him only to what is 
good. If, then, you perceive in yourself any 
mark of such divine anger, be not without 
fear. Remember that you need no help but 
your own passions and the devil’s tempta¬ 
tions to carry you along the broad road to de¬ 
struction. Stop while you have time. Im¬ 
plore the divine mercy to aid you in retracing 
your steps till you discover that narrow way 
which leads to everlasting life. Having found 
it, walk manfully in it, ever mindful of the jus¬ 
tice of God, and of the terrible truth that while 
thousands throng the road to death there are 
few who find the way of life. 

Tremble for your salvation, and, while always 
maintaining an unshaken hope, have no less fear 
of hell. You have no reason to expect that God 
should treat you differently from other men. 
Bear in mind the law of His justice, as it has 


Tice Sinner’s Guide. 


271 


been explained, and so live that you may never 
expose yourself to its terrible effects here and 
hereafter. 

Be not the victim of a vain confidence which 
you may flatter yourself is hope, while it is 
naught but presumption. Rather, in the words 
of the Eternal Wisdom, “be not without fear 
about sin forgiven, and add not sin upon sin. 
And say not: The mercy of the Lord is great; 
He will have mercy on the multitude of my 
sins. For mercy and wrath quickly come from 
Him, and His wrath looketh upon sinners.”* 
If, then, we must tremble even for sin which 
has been remitted, how is it that you do 
not fear to add daily to your crimes ? And 
mark well these words: “'His wrath looketh 
upon sinners”; for as the eyes of His mercy 
are upon the good, so are the eyes of His 
anger upon the wicked. And this agrees with 
what David says in one of the psalms : “The 
eyes of the Lord are upon the just, and 
his ears unto their prayers. But the counte¬ 
nance of the Lord is against them that do evil, 
to cut off the remembrance of them from the 
earth.” f “ The hand of God,” says the inspir¬ 
ed author of the Book of Esdras, “is upon all 
them that seek Him in goodness ; and His power 
and strength and wrath upon all them that for¬ 
sake Him.” X reconciled, therefore, with God; 
amend your life ; and then you can confidently 
hope for the mercy promised to His faithful 
servants. “ Hope in the Lord and do that 
which is good,” we are told by the Psalmist; 

* E«clus. v. 5, 6. 7. t Ps. xxxiii. 1(5, 17. 1 1 Esdras viii. 22 . 


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“offer the sacrifice of justice, and trust in the 
Lord.”* This is hope; any other confidence 
is presumption. The ark of the true Church 
will not save its unworthy members from the 
deluge of their iniquities, nor can you reap any 
benefit from the mercy of God if you seek His 
protection in order to sin with impunity. 

“ Men go to hell,” says Sc. Augustine, 
“ through hope, as well as through despair : 
through a presumptuous hope during life, and 
through despair at the hour of death.” f I en¬ 
treat you, therefore, 0 sinner ! to abandon your 
false hope, and let God’s justice inspire you 
with a fear proportioned to the confidence 
which His mercy excites in yon. For, as St. 
Bernard tells us : “ God has two feet, one of 
justice and the other of mercy. We must em¬ 
brace both, lest justice separated from mercy 
should cause us to despair, or mercy without 
justice should excite in us presumption.” J 


CHAPTER XXVII. 

OF THOSE WHO ALLEGE THAT THE PATH OF 
VIRTUE IS TOO DIFFICULT. 

A S virtue is entirely conformable to reason, 
there is nothing in its own nature which 
renders it burdensome. The difficulty, 
therefore, which is here objected arises 
not from virtue, but from the evil inclinations 

* Pe. xxxvi. 3, and iv. G + “ Pe Verho Dili.," Serin. 147. 

t “ In Cantica," Serm. 80. 



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273 


and appetites implanted in us by sin. Tims 
the Apostle tells us : “ The flesh opposes the 
spirit, and the spirit opposes the flesh ; for 
these are contrary one to another. For I 
am delighted with the law of God, accord¬ 
ing to the inward man ; but I see another law 
in my members, fighting against the law of my 
mind, and captivating mo in the law of sin, 
that is in my members.” * By these words we 
are taught that the law of God is acceptable to 
the superior part of the soul, the seat of the will 
and understanding, but that we are opposed, in 
obeying it, by the corruption of our appetites 
and passions, which reside in the inferior part 
of the soul. When man rebelled against God 
the passions rebelled against reason, and from 
this arose all the difficulties which we encoun¬ 
ter in the practice of virtue. Thus we see that 
many who appreciate virtue refuse to practise it, 
just as sick men earnestly desire health, but re¬ 
fuse the unpnlatable remedies which alone would 
restore it. As this repugnance is the principal 
barrier to virtue, which, when known, is always 
valued and loved, if we succeed in proving that 
there is little foundation for such repugnance 
we shall have accomplished a good work. 

The principal cause of this illusion is that we 
only regard the obstacles to virtue, and do not 
consider the grace which God gives us to over¬ 
come these obstacles. The servant of Eliseus 
was frightened at the numbers who were coming 
armed against his master, until God, at the pray¬ 
er of the prophet, opened his eyes and caused 

♦Gal. v. 17, and Rom. vii. 22, 23. 


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him to seo that Eliseus was surrounded by a 
still greater number of defenders. A like fear 
leads men to reject virtue, when they know not 
the succors which God reserves for it. 

But if the way of virtue be so difficult how 
could David express himself as he does ? “ I 

have been delighted in the way of thy testi¬ 
monies, as in all riches. Thy commandments, 
O Lord ! are more to be desired than gold and 
many precious stones, and sweeter than honey 
and the honeycomb.” * Not only does he 
award to virtue the excellence which all ascribe 
to it, but praises it for that pleasure and sweet¬ 
ness which the world denies it. Whoever, there¬ 
fore, speaks of virtue as a heavy yoke shows 
that he has not yet penetrated this mystery. 
Tell me, you who claim to be a Christian, why 
did Christ come into the world ? Why did 
He shed His blood ? Why did He institute the 
sacraments ? Why did He send down the Holy 
Ghost ? What is the meaning of the Gospel, of 
grace, of the name of Jesus, Whom you adore ? 
If you know not, hear the Angel, who says : 
“Thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He 
shall save His people from their sins.” f 

Now, what is saving from sin, if not obtaining 
the pardon of past faults and the grace to avoid 
others in the future ? What was the end of 
our Saviour’s coming, if not to help you in the 
work of your salvation ? Did He not die on 
the cross to destroy sin ? Did He not rise 
from the dead to enable you to rise to a life of 
grace ? Why did He shed His blood, if not to 

* P8. cxviii. 14, and xviii. 11 . + St. Matt. i. 21. 


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275 


heal the wounds of your soul ? Why did Ho 
institute the sacraments, if not to strengthen you 
against sin ? Did not His coming render the 
way to Heaven smooth and straight, according to 
that of Isaias, who said, in prophesying of Him, 
“ the crooked shall become straight, and the 
rough ways plain ”? * Why did He send the 
Holy Spirit, if not to change you from flesh into 
spirit ? Why did He send Him under the form 
of fire but to enlighten you, to inflame you, and 
to transform you into Himself, that thus your 
soul might be fitted for His own divine king¬ 
dom ? What, in fine, is the object of grace, 
with the infused virtues which flow from it, 
but to sweeten the yoke of Christ, to facilitate 
the practice of virtue, to make you joyful in 
tribulations, hopeful in danger, and victorious 
in temptation ? This comprises the teaching 
of the Gospel. Adam, an earthly and sinful man, 
made us earthly and sinful. Jesus Christ, a 
heavenly and just Man, makes us spiritual and 
just. This is the sum of the doctrine proclaim¬ 
ed by the Evangelists, preached by the Apostles, 
and promised by the Prophets. 

But, to study the subject more in detail, what 
is the cause of the difficulty you find in practis¬ 
ing virtue ? You say it is the evil inclinations 
of your heart, as well as the perpetual conflict be¬ 
tween the spirit and the flesh, which has been con¬ 
ceived in sin. But why should you be dismayed, 
when you have the infallible promise of- God 
that He will take away these corrupt sources of 
sin, and, giving you a new heart, will establish 

* fcaias xl. 4. 


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you in strength and courage to conquer all your 
enemies? “ I will give them,” He says, “a 
new heart, and I will put a new spirit in their 
bowels; and I will take away the stony heart 
out of their flesh, and I will give them a heart 
of flesh, that they may walk in My command¬ 
ments, and keep My judgments and do them, 
and that they may be My people, and I may be 
their God.” * What, then, can arrest you in the 
path of virtue ? Do you fear that the promise 
will not be fulfilled, or that with the assistance 
of God’s grace you will not be able to keep His 
law ? Your doubts are blasphemous ; for, in the 
first instance, you question the truth of God’s 
words, and, in the second, you represent Him as 
unable to fulfil what He promises, since you 
think Him capable of offering you succor in¬ 
sufficient for your needs. 

Ho, doubt not, but be assured that in addi¬ 
tion to all this He will give you the necessary 
strength to overcome the passions which tor¬ 
ment you. This is one of the principal benefits 
purchased for us by the blood of our Saviour, 
one of the most precious fruits of the tree of 
life. “ Our old man is crucified with Jesus 
Christ, that the body of sin may be destroyed, 
and that w r e may serve sin no longer.” f By 
the “old man” and “the body of sin” the 
Apostle designates our sensual appetite with its 
evil inclinations. He tells us that it was cruci¬ 
fied with Jesus Christ, because the sacrifice of 
the cross obtained for us grace and strength to 
overcome it. This is the victory which God 

♦Ezech. xi. 19, 20. t Rom. vi 6. 


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promises ns by Isaias, who says : “ Fear not, for 
I am with thee; turn not aside, for I am thy 
God; I have strengthened thee, and have helped 
thee, and the right hand of my Just One—Jesus 
Christ—hath upheld thee. Behold all that light 
against thee shall be confounded and ashamed ; 
they shall be as nothing, and the men shall per¬ 
ish that strive against thee. Thou shalt seek 
them, and shalt not find the men that resist 
thee. They shall be as nothing, and the men 
that war against thee shall be as a thing con¬ 
sumed. For I am the Lord thy God, who take 
thee by the hand and say to thee : Fear not, for 
I have helped thee.”* With such assistance 
who will yield to discouragement ? Who will 
be daunted by fear of his evil inclinations, 
over which grace obtains such a glorious vic¬ 
tory ? 

^oii will urge, perhaps, that the just are not 
without their secret failings, which, as Job says, f 
bear witness against them. To this I reply, in 
the words of Isaias, that “ they shall be as if 
they never had been.” X If they remain it is 
only to exercise our virtue, not to overcome us ; 
to stimulate us, not to master us; to serve as 
an occasion of merit, not of sin ; for our tri¬ 
umph, not for our downfall ; in a word, to try 
us, to humble us, to make us acknowledge our 
own weakness and render to God the glory 
and thanksgiving which are due Him. They 
are a source of real profit to us. For as wild 
animals when domesticated can be made most 
serviceable to man, so our passions, when mode- 

* Ieaias xli. 10-14. t Job xvi. 9. X Isaias xli. 12. 


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rated and controlled, aid us in the practice of 
virtue. 

“ If God be for us, who is against us ? ” * 
“ The Lord is mv light and my salvation ; whom 
shall I fear ? The Lord is the protector of my 
life ; of whom shall I be afraid ? If armies in 
camp should stand together against me, my 
heart shall not fear. If a battle should rise up 
against me, in this will I be confident.” f Sure¬ 
ly, my dear Christian, if such promises do not 
encourage you to serve God your cowardice is 
very great. If you have no confidence in them 
your faith is very weak. God assures you that 
He will give you a new spirit, that He will 
change your heart of stone into a heart of flesh, 
that He will mortify your passions to such a 
degree that you will not know yourself. You 
will seek in vain for the evil inclinations which 
warred against you ; they will be as a thing 
consumed, for He will weaken all their forces. 
What more can you desire ? Have, then, a 
lively faith and firm hope, and cast yourself 
into the arms of God. 

But, perhaps, you will still object that your 
sins are so numerous that God must refuse you 
His grace. Away with such a thought ! It is 
one of the greatest insults you could offer to 
God. By it you virtually say either that God 
cannot or will not assist His creatures when 
they implore His aid. Do not yield to such a 
blasphemy. Rather let your prayer be, with St. 
Augustine : “ Give me grace, 6 Lord ! to do 
what Thou commandest, and command what 

* Rom. viii. 31. t Ps. xxvi. 1, 2, 3, 4. 


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279 


Thou pleasest.” * This prayer will always be 
answered, for God is ever ready to co-operate 
with man in doing good. God is the principal 
cause, man is the secondary. God aids man, as 
a painter aids a pupil whose hand he guides, 
that he may produce a perfect work. Both 
concur in the labor, but equal honor is not due 
to both. Thus does God deal with man with¬ 
out prejudice to his free-will. When the work, 
therefore, is accomplished, he glorifies God, 
and not himself, saying with the prophet : 
“Thou, 0 Lord ! hast wrought all our works 
for us.” f 

Lean, then, on the power of God, and you will 
ever fulfil His will. Be mindful of the words 
He addresses to you through Moses: “This 
commandment that I command thee this day 
is not above thee nor far ofi from thee. Nor 
is it in Heaven, that thou shouldst say : Which 
of us can go up to Heaven to bring it to us, that 
w r e may hear and fulfil it in work ? Nor is it 
beyond the sea, that thou mayst excuse thyself, 
saying : Which of us can cross the sea and 
bring it unto us, that we may hear and do that 
which is commanded ? But the word is very 
nigh unto thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, 
that thou mayst do it.” J 

Let these words assure you that however dif¬ 
ficult God’s commandments may appear, His 
grace will render their observance very easy, 
and if faithful to them you will soon experience 
that His yoke is sweet and His burden light. 

Moreover, call to mind the assistance which 

* “ Conf.,” L. x. c. 31. t Isaias xxvi. 12. % Deut. xxx. 11-15. 


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charity affords us in the pursuit of virtue. 
Charity, or the love of God, renders the law 
sweet and delightful; for, as St. Augustine says, 
love knows no fatigue. How willingly men 
fond of hunting, riding, or fishing bear the 
labor of these sports ! What makes a mother 
insensible to the fatigue she endures for her 
child ? What keeps a devoted wife day and 
night at the bedside of her sick husband ? 
Wliat excites even in animals the solicitude, 
the self-denial, with which they care for their 
young, and the courage with which they defend 
them ? I answer that it is the great power of 
love. Strong by this power was St. Paul when 
he exclaimed : “Who, then, shall separate us 
from the love of Christ ? Shall tribulation, or 
distress, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or 
persecution, or the sword ? ” * It was love 
which caused St. Dominic and so many other 
Saints to sigh foy martyrdom. It was love which 
raised the martyrs above their sufferings and 
gave them refreshment in the midst of the most 
cruel torments. “ True love of God,” says St. 
Peter Chrysologus, “finds nothing hard, no¬ 
thing bitter, nothing difficult. What weapon, 
what wounds, what pains, what death, can con¬ 
quer true love ? As an impenetrable armor it 
defies all attacks, and fears not even death, but 
triumphs over all things.” f 

But perfect love is not content with these 
victories. It longs to combat for the Beloved. 
Hence the thirst of the just for martyrdom ; 
hence their desire to shed their blood for Him 

* Rom. viii. 35. 


t Serm. 147, “ De lucainat.’ 


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281 


Who shed His precious Blood for them. And 
when this desire is not satisfied they become 
their own executioners and martyr their bodies 
with hunger, thirst, cold, and every kind of 
mortification. Thus they find their happiness 
in suffering for Christ. 

Doubtless this language is not understood by 
worldlings. They cannot conceive that one 
should love what they abhor, or abhor what 
they love. Yet so it is. Holy Scripture tells 
us that the Egyptians worshipped certain ani¬ 
mals as gods. The Israelites justly called these 
false gods abominations, and sacrificed them to 
the honor of the true God. In like manner 
the virtuous regard as abominations the idols 
which the world adores—pleasures, riches, and 
honors—and sacrifice them to the glory of God. 
Let him, therefore, who would offer a pleasing 
sacrifice to God observe what the world adores, 
and let him offer that as a victim to the Lord. 
It was thus that the Apostles acted when they 
came forth from the council, rejoicing that they 
had received the honor of suffering for Christ. 
Can you, then, believe that the power which 
rendered the prison, the scourge, the stake, 
welcome to God’s servants, will not be able to 
lighten the yoke of His commandments for 
you ? Will not that pow T er which supported 
the just under fasts, vigils, austerities, and suf¬ 
ferings of every kind enable you to bear the 
burden of the commandments ? Alas ! how 
feebly you comprehend the force of charity and 
divine grace ! 

But let us suppose that the path of virtue is 


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sown with difficulties and hard ships. Will this 
prove that you ought not to walk in it ? Oh ! 
no. Are you not expected to do something for 
the salvation of your soul ? Will you not do at 
least as much for this grand purpose, for eter¬ 
nity, as you do for your body and for time, 
which for you is rapidly passing away and will 
soon leave you at the tomb ? What is a little 
suffering in this life, if you are spared everlast¬ 
ing torments ? Think of the rich glutton, now 
burning in hell. What would he not do to ex¬ 
piate his sins, could he return to this world ? 
There is no reason why you should not now do 
as much, if you feel that you have ever offend¬ 
ed God. 

Consider, moreover, what God has done for 
you and what He has promised you. Reflect 
on the many sins you have committed. Think 
of the sufferings endured by the saints, parti¬ 
cularly the Saint of saints. If such thoughts 
will not make you blush for your past life of 
ease, and incite you to suffer something for the 
love of God, I know not what will move you to 
abandon the things in which you formerly de¬ 
lighted and by which you formerly sinned. 
Thus St. Bernard tells us that the tribulations 
of this life bear no proportion to the glory we 
hope for, to the torments we fear, to the sins 
we have committed, or to the benefits we have 
received from our Creator. Any of these con¬ 
siderations ought to suffice to make us embrace 
a life of virtue, however hard and laborious. 

Though we acknowledge that in every condi¬ 
tion of iife there are trials and difficulties, yet 


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the path of the wicked is far more thickly 
strewn with hardships than is that of the just. 
One necessarily grows weary in a long journey, 
but a blind man who stumbles at every step 
will certainly tire sooner than the traveller who 
clearly sees and guards against the obstacles in 
the way. In the journey of life we must ex¬ 
pect to feel fatigue and experience hardships 
until we reach our destination. The sinner, 
guided by passion, walks blindly, and therefore 
often falls. The just man, guided by reason, 
secs and avoids the rocks and precipices, and 
thus travels with less fatigue and more safety. 
“ The path of the just,” says Solomon, “as a 
shining light goeth forward and increaseth even 
to perfect day ; but the way of the wicked is 
darksome, and they know not where they fall.”* 
And not only is it dark, but also slippery, as 
holy David tells us.f Judge, then, what a dif¬ 
ference there is between these two paths. Be¬ 
hold how excessive are the difficulties which 
beset the wicked. Reflect, moreover, that the 
just find a thousand means of alleviating their 
trials which the sinner does not experience. 
They have God’s fatherly providence to guide 
them ; the grace of the Holy Spirit to enlight¬ 
en and encourage them; the sacraments to sanc¬ 
tify them ; the divine consolations to refresh 
them ; the example of the pious to animate 
them ; the writings of the Saints to instruct 
them ; the testimony of a good conscience to 
comfort them ; the hope of future glory to sus¬ 
tain them, besides the numerous other favors 

* Prov. iv. 18,19. t Ps. xxxiv. 6. 


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which the virtuous enjoy. Hence they are ever 
ready to sing with the prophet, How sweet, 
0 Lord ! are Thy words to my palate, more than 
honey to my mouth.” * 

Reflect on these truths, and you will soon 
understand the Scriptures where they seem to 
speak in contradictory terms of the ease or 
difficulty of practising virtue. At one time 
David says : “ For the sake of the words of Thy 
lips I have kept hard ways.” { At another : “ I 
have been delighted in the way of Thy testi¬ 
monies, as in all riches.” J Both declarations 
are true, for the path of virtue is difficult to 
nature, easy to grace. Our Saviour Himself 
tells us this when He says : “ My yoke is sweet 
and My burden light.” § By the word yoke He 
expresses the difficulty which nature experi¬ 
ences. By calling it sweet He shows us the 
power of grace to enable us to carry it. This 
He accomplishes by sharing our burden, accord¬ 
ing to that of the prophet: “l will be to them 
as one that taketh off the yoke from their 
jaws.” || Is it, then, astonishing that that yoke 
is light which God Himself bears ? The Apostle 
experienced this when he said : “In all things 
we suffer tribulation, hut are not distressed ; we 
are straitened, but are not destitute ; we suffer 
persecution, but are not forsaken; we are 
cast down, but we perish not.” T Behold on 
one side the weight of tribulation and on the 
other the sweetness which God communicates 
to it. 


* Ps. cxviii. 103. 

§ St. Matt, xi/30. 


t Ps. xvi. 4. 
11 Osee xi. 4. 


$ Ps. cxviii. 14. 
1 2 Cor. iv. 8, 9. 


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Isaias expressed this even more clearly: 
“ They that hope in the Lord shall renew their 
strength; they shall take wings as eagles ; they 
shall run and not be weary; they shall walk 
and not faint. ”* Learn from this that the 
yoke is removed by grace, and the strength of 
the flesh is changed into that of the spirit, or 
rather the strength of God replaces that of 
man. Remember also that the prophet says 
the just will run, though taking no pains ; they 
will walk, and not faint. Bo not dismayed, 
therefore, by the roughness of a road on which 
you find so many aids to render your journey 
smooth and pleasant. 

If, like the Apostle St. Thomas, you are still 
incredulous and ask for farther proof, I will 
not deny it. Take, for example, a man who has 
led a wicked life, but who has finally turned to 
God by the power of grace. Such a man will 
be an excellent judge in this matter, for he has 
not only heard of these two lives, but he has ex¬ 
perienced them. Ask him which he found the 
sweeter. He will tell you of the marvels effected 
in the depths of his soul by grace. There is 
nothing in the world more astonishing, no more 
interesting spectacle, than that afforded by the 
action of grace upon the soul of a just man. 
IIow it transforms him, sustains him, strength¬ 
ens him, and comforts him ! How it subdues 
and governs him exteriorly and interiorly ! 
How "it alters his affections, making him love 
what he formerly abhorred, and abhor what he 
formerly loved ! How strong it makes him in 

* Isaiae xl. 31. 


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combat! What peace it gives him! What 
light it pours into his soul to enable him to 
learn God’s will, to realize the vanity of the 
world, and to set a true value on the spiritual 
blessings which he formerly despised! And 
still more wonderful is the short space of time 
in which these great changes are made. It is 
not necessary to spend long years in study, or to 
wait until old age helps us by experience. Men 
in the fire of youth are sometimes so changed 
in the space of a few days that they hardly 
seem the same beings. Hence St. Cyprian says 
that the sinner finds himself converted even be¬ 
fore he has learned how to bring about such a 
change, for it is the work of grace, which needs 
neither study nor time, but which acts in an 
instant, like a spiritual charm. 

St. Cyprian, already mentioned, who was for 
a time a prey to the illusions of the world, 
gives, while writing to his friend Donatus, 
some beautiful and forcible thoughts on this 
subject : 

“When I walked in darkness, when I was 
tossed about by the tempests of this world, 1 
knew not what my life was, because I was de¬ 
prived of light and truth. I regarded as im¬ 
possible all that God’s grace promised to do for 
my conversion and salvation. I would not be¬ 
lieve that man could be born again,* and by 
virtue of Baptism receive a new life and spirit, 
which, while leaving his exterior untouched, 
would entirely reform him within. I urged 
that it was impossible to uproot vices implanted 

* St. John iii. 5. 


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in us by our corrupt nature and confirmed by 
the habits of years. Is temperance possible, I 
asked, to one long accustomed to a sumptuous 
table ? Will lie who lias been clothed in purple 
willingly put on a plain and modest dress ? 
Will he who found ad his happiness in honors 
; and dignities willingly forego them and be con- 
: tent to lead a quiet and obscure life ? Will he 
who was accustomed to travel with a grand 
retinue now be content to travel unattended ? 
Former habits will cling to him and struggle 
for mastery. Intemperance will solicit him, 
pride will inflate him, honors will allure him, 
anger will inflame him, and sensuality will blind 
and overpower him. These were the reflections 
in which I frequently indulged. I was bound 
by numerous habits of vice from which I felt I 
never could be freed, and which I encouraged 
and strengthened by this very distrust. But 
my sins were no sooner washed away in the 
w'aters of Baptism than a new light shone upon 
my soul, now purified from all stains. By the 
reception of the Holy Spirit I was born to a 
new life. Suddenly, as if by a miracle, doubt 
gave place to certainty ; my darkness was dissi¬ 
pated ; what heretofore appeared difficult had 
now become easy ; the insurmountable obstacles 
I feared had vanished completely. I clearly 
saw that the life of the flesh with all its failings 
was of man, and that the new life to which I had 
come was of God. You know, dear Donatus, 
from what the Holy Spirit has delivered me, 
and what He has bestowed upon me. He has 
delivered me from the slavery of vice and has 


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restored me to tlie true liberty of virtue. You 
know all this, and that, so far from boasting, 

I am only publishing the glory of God. It is 
not pride but a sentiment of gratitude which 
prompts me to speak of this wonderful trans¬ 
formation, which is due only to God. For it is 
evident that the power to abandon sin is no less 
the effect of divine grace than the will to com¬ 
mit it is the effect of human frailty.” * 

These words of St. Cyprian perfectly describe 
the illusion which paralyzes the efforts of many 
Christians. They measure the difficulties of 
virtue according to their own strength, and thus 
deem its acquisition impossible. They do not 
^consider that if they firmly resolve to abandon 
sin, and cast themselves into the strong arms of 
God’s mercy, His grace will smooth the rough¬ 
ness of their way and remove all the obstacles 
which formerly alarmed them. The example 
of St. Cyprian proves this, for the truth of what 
he relates is incontestable. If you imitate his 
sincere return to God, the grace which was 
given him will not be denied to you. 

Another no less remarkable example is that of 
St. Augustine, who, in his “ Confessions,” tells 
us that when he began to think seriously of leav¬ 
ing the world a thousand difficulties presented 
themselves to his mind. On one side appeared 
the past pleasures of his life, saying: 4 ‘Will 
you part from us for ever ? Shall we no longer 
be your companions ?” On the other he beheld 
virtue with a radiant countenance, accompanied 
by a multitude of persons of every state in life 

* L. 2, Ep. 2. 


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289 


who had led pure lives, and a voice said to him : 
“ Can you not do what so many others have 
done? Was their strength in themselves ? Was 
it not God Who enabled them to do what they 
did ? While you continue to rely upon your¬ 
self you must necessarily fall. Cast yourself 
without fear upon God ; He will not abandon 
you.” In the midst of this struggle the Saint 
tells us thnt he began to weep bitterly, and, 
throwing himself upon the ground, he cried 
from the depth of his heart: “How long, 0 
Lord ! how long wilt Thou be angry ? Remem¬ 
ber not my past iniquities. How long shall 
I continue to repeat. To-morrow, to-morrow ? 
Why not now? Why should not this very hour 
witness the end of my disorders ?”* 

No sooner had Augustine taken this resolu¬ 
tion than his heart was changed, so that he 
ceased to feel the stings of the flesh or any af¬ 
fection for the pleasures of the world. He was 
entirely freed from all the irregular desires 
which formerly tormented him, and broke forth 
into thanksgiving for the liberty which had 
been restored to him : “ 0 Lord ! I am Thy ser¬ 
vant ; I am Thy servant and the son of Thy 
handmaid. Thou hast broken my bonds. I 
will sacrifice to Thee a sacrifice of praise.”f 
“ Let mv heart and my tongue praise Thee. 
Let all my bones say: Who is like unto Thee, 
0 Lord ? Where was my free-will all these 
years, 0 Jesus, my Redeemer and Helper, that 
it did not return to Thee ? From what an abyss 
hast Thou suddenly drawn it, causing me to 

* “Confess.,” L. viii. c. 11. t Ps. cxv. 


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bend my neck to Thy sweet yoke and to take 
upon me the easy burden of Thy law ? How de¬ 
lighted I am with the absence of those pleasures 
which I formerly sought with so much eager¬ 
ness ! How I rejoice no longer to possess those 
follies which I formerly trembled to lose ! 0. 

Thou true and sovereign Good! Thou hast dri¬ 
ven all false pleasures from my soul ; Thou hast 
banished them and hast Thyself taken their 
place, 0 Joy exceeding all joy ! 0 Beauty ex¬ 
ceeding all beauty !” * 

Behold the efficacy of grace! What, then, 
prevents you from imitating the example of 
these great Saints ? If you believe what I have 
related, and that the grace which wrought such 
a change in St. Augustine is at the disposal of 
all who earnestly seek it, what is there to pre¬ 
vent you from breaking your sinful bonds and 
embracing this Sovereign Good Who so solici¬ 
tously calls you ? Why do you prefer by a hell 
on earth to gain another hell hereafter, rather 
than by a paradise here to gain Heaven here¬ 
after ? Be not discouraged. Put your trust in 
God, and resolutely enter the path of virtue. 
Have an unshaken confidence that you will 
meet Him there with open arms, to receive 
you as the father received his prodigal son.f 
Were a charlatan to assert that he could teach 
the art of changing copper into gold, how many 
would be eager to test his suggestion ! God 
offers to teach us the art of changing earth into 
Heaven for our welfare, of converting us from 
flesh into spirit, from men into Angels, and how 

* “ Conf.,” L. ix. t St. Luke xr. 


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291 


many there are who refuse to hear Him ! Be 
not of their unhappy number. 

Sooner or later you must acknowledge this 
truth, if not in this life, surely in the next. 
Think, therefore, of the confusion and anguish 
which on the day of judgment will overwhelm 
all those who will then have been condemned 
for abandoning the path of virtue. Too late 
they will recognize how excellent is this path, 
and how far it exceeds that of sin, not only for 
the happiness it affords in this life, but for the 
security with which it leads us to eternal joy. 


CHAPTER XXVIII. 

OF THOSE WHO REFUSE TO PRACTISE VIRTUE 
BECAUSE THEY LOVE THE WORLD. 

I F we examine the hearts of those who refuse 
to practise virtue we shall frequently find a 
delusive love for the world to be one of the 
chief causes of their faint-heartedness. I 
call it a delusive love because it is founded on 
•that imaginary good which men suppose they 
will find in the things of this world. Let them 
examine with closer attention these objects of 
their affection, and they will soon recognize that 
they have been pursuing shadows. If we study 
the happiness of the world, even under its most 
favorable aspects, we shall find that it is ever ac¬ 
companied by six drawbacks, which tend very 
much to lessen its sweetness. No one will ques- 



292 


The Sinner's Guide . 


tion the truth of this ; for who can deny that the 
happiness of this life is brief, that it is exposed 
to changes, that it leads to danger or blindness, 
and that it frequently ends in sin and deceit ? 

As to the first of these, who will say that 
that is enduring which at best must end with 
the brief career of man on earth ? Ah ! we all 
know the shortness of human life, for how 
few attain even a hundred years ? There have 
been popes who reigned but a month; bish¬ 
ops who have survived their consecration but 
little longer ; and married persons whose fune¬ 
rals have followed their weddings in still less 
time. These are not remarkable occurrences 
of the past only; they are witnessed in every age. 
Let ns suppose, however, that your life will be 
one of the longest. “What,” asks St. Chry¬ 
sostom, “are one hundred, two hundred, four 
hundred years spent in the pleasures of this 
world compared to eternity ?” For “ if a man 
live many years, and have rejoiced in them all, 
he must remember the darksome time, and the 
many days ; which when they shall come, the 
things passed shall be accused of vanity.” * All 
happiness, however great, is but vanity when 
compared to eternity. Sinners themselves ac¬ 
knowledge this: “Being born, forthwith we 
ceased to be; we are consumed in our wicked¬ 
ness.” f How short, then, will this life seem to 
the wicked ! It will appear as if they had been 
hurried immediately from the cradle to the grave. 
All the pleasures and satisfactions of this world 
will then seem to them but a dream. Isaias ad- 

* Eccles. xi. 8. t Wisdom v. 13. 


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293 


mirably expressed this when he said: “As he 
that is hungry dreameth and eateth, but when 
lie is awake his soul is empty; and as he that 
is thirsty dreameth and drinketh, and after he 
is awake is yet faint with thirst, and his soul is 
empty, so shall be the multitude that fought 
against Mount Sion.” * Their prosperity will 
be so brief that it will seem like a fleeting 
dream. What more, in fact, remains of the 
glory of monarchs and of princes ? “ Where,” 

asks the prophet, “ are the princes of the na¬ 
tions, and they that rule over the beasts that 
are upon the earth ? They that take their di¬ 
version with the birds of the air ; that hoard up 
silver and gold wherein men trust, and there is 
no end of their getting; that work in silver and 
are solicitous, and their works are unsearchable ? 
They are cut off and are gone down to hell, 
and others are risen up in their place.” f What 
has become of the wise men, the scholars, the 
searchers into the secrets of nature ? Where is 
the famous Alexander ? Where is the mighty 
Assuerus ? Where are the Caesars and the other 
kings of the earth ? What does it now avail them 
that they lived in pomp and glory, that they had 
legions of soldiers, and servants, and flatterers 
almost without number ? All have vanished 
like a shadow or a dream. In one moment all 
that constitutes human happiness fades away 
as the mist before the morning sun. Behold, 
then, dear Christian, how brief it is. 

Consider also the innumerable changes to 
which human happiness is exposed in this val- 

* Isaias xxix. 8. t Baruch iii. 16-20. 


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ley of tears, this land of exile, tliis tempestuous 
sea which we call the world. The days of man 
on earth scarcely suffice to number his sorrows, 
for almost every hour brings new cares, new 
anxieties, or new miseries. Who can fitly de¬ 
scribe these ? Who can count all the infirmi¬ 
ties of the body, all the passions of the soul, all 
the disasters which come upon us not only from 
our enemies, but even from our friends and 
from ourselves ? One disputes your inheri¬ 
tance ; another attempts your life. You are 
pursued by hatred, calumny, envy, revenge, 
and by a lying tongue, the most dangerous of 
all. Add to these miseries the innumerable 
accidents which daily befall us. One man 
loses an eye ; another an arm ; a third one is 
thrown from a horse or falls from a window ; 
while still another loses all he possesses through 
succoring a friend. If you would know more 
of these miseries ask worldlings to tell you the 
sum of their sorrows and their joys. If balanced 
in the scales of truth you will find that their 
disappointments far outweigh their pleasures. 
Since, then, human life is so short, and so con¬ 
stantly beset with miseries, what possibility is 
there of knowing real happiness in this world ? 
The vicissitudes of which we have been speak¬ 
ing are common to the good and the wicked, 
for both sail on the same sea and are exposed to 
the same storms. There are other miseries, 
however, which, as the fruits of iniquity, are 
the portion of the wicked. “We wearied our¬ 
selves in the way of iniquity and destruction,” 
they tell us by the Wise Man, “and have 


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295 


walked through hard ways, but the way of the 
Lord we have not known.” * Tims, while the 
just pass from a paradise in this life to Heaven 
in the next, from the peace of virtue to the 
rest of their eternal reward, the wicked pass 
from a hell in this life to an eternal hell in the 
next, from the torments of an evil conscience 
to the unspeakable tortures of the undying 
worm. 

Different causes multiply the miseries of the 
sinner. God, Who is a just Judge, sends them 
suffering, that crime may not remain unaveng¬ 
ed ; for though the punishment of sin is gene¬ 
rally reserved for the next world, it sometimes 
begins in this. The government of Divine 
Providence equally embraces nations and indi 
viduals. Thus we see that sin, when it has 
become general, brings upon the world universal 
scourges, such as famines, wars, floods, pesti 
lences, and heresies. God also frequently in¬ 
flicts on individuals punishments proportioned 
to their crimes. For this reason He said to 
Cain : “ If thou do well, shalt thou not re¬ 
ceive ? but if ill, shall not sin ”—that is, thy 
punishment —“ forthwith be present at the 
door ? ” f Moses gave a like warning to the 
Jewish people : “ Thou shalt know that the 
Lord thy God is a strong and faithful God, 
keeping His covenant and mercy to them that 
love Him, and to them that keep His com¬ 
mandments, unto a thousand generations ; and 
repaying forthwith them that hate Him, so as 
to destroy them without farther delay, imme- 
* Wisdom v. 7. + Gen. iv. 7. 


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diately rendering to them what they deserve.” * 
Observe how strongly the idea of punishment 
in this life is shown by the expressions forth¬ 
with, without delay, immediately. They clear¬ 
ly indicate that besides the future punish¬ 
ment of their crimes the wicked will suffer for 
them even in this world. Hence the many 
calamities which they endure. Hence the in¬ 
cessant trials, anxieties, fatigues, and neces¬ 
sities, of which they are keenly sensible, and 
which, in their blindness, they regard as the 
inevitable conditions of nature rather than the 
punishment of their sins. For as they do not 
recognize natural advantages as benefits from 
God, and therefore do not thank Him for them, 
neither do they regard the calamities which 
overtake them as the marks of His disjileasure, 
and consequently receive no benefit from them. 

Other misfortunes, such as imprisonment, 
banishment, less of fortune, come upon the 
wicked through God’s representatives upon 
earth, the ministers of justice. Dearly bought, 
then, is the pleasure of sin, for which they pay 
a hundred-fold even in this life. 

Man’s irregular appetites and passions are 
another and inexhaustible source of afflictions. 
What, in fact, can you expect from immoderate 
affections, inordinate sorrow, groundless fears, 
uncertain hopes, unreasonable solicitude, but 
violent shocks and continual anxieties which 
take from man all freedom and peace of heart ? 
Living in the midst of tumult, lie scarcely ever 
prays, he knows not the sweets of repose. 

* Deut. vii. 9,10. 


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297 


From man himself, from his uncontrolled appe¬ 
tites, spring all these miseries. Judge, then, 
what happiness is possible under such condi¬ 
tions. 

Were there only bodily sufferings to harass 
us we would not have so much reason to fear. 
But the world is full of dangers that are far 
more terrible, because they menace the soul. 
Of these the prophet spoke when he said: 
“ He shall rain snares upon sinners.”* How 
numerous must be these snares which the holy 
king compares to drops of rain ! He expressly 
tells us that they shall rain upon sinners, for 
they are so indifferent in watching over their 
hearts and guarding their senses, so careless in 
avoiding the occasions of sin or providing 
themselves with spiritual remedies, that they 
rush into the very midst of the flames of the 
world, and therefore cannot but encounter a 
thousand dangers. Snares exist for them every¬ 
where—in youth, in old age ; in riches, in pov¬ 
erty ; in honor, in dishonor; in society, in soli¬ 
tude ; in adversity, in prosperity ; in the eyes, in 
the tongue, in all the senses. Were God to 
enlighten us as he did St. Anthony, we would 
see the world covered with snares like a net¬ 
work, and we would exclaim with the holy 
solitary : Who, 0 Lord ! can avoid all these ? 
Behold the cause of the destruction of the 
many souls who daily perish ! St. Bernard 
said with tears that there was hardly one ship 
out of ten lost on the sea, but on the ocean of 
life there is hardly one soul saved out of ten. 

* Ps. x. 7. 


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Who, then, will not tremble in the midst of so 
many perils ? Who will not seek to avoid the 
treacherous snares of this world ? Who will 
venture to go unarmed into the midst of so 
many enemies ? Who will not fly from this 
Egypt,* from this Babylon,f from the flames 
of this Sodom and Gomorrha?J; “ Can a 
man,” says Solomon, “hide fire in his bosom, 
and his garments not burn ? Or can he walk 
upon hot coals, and his feet not be burnt ? ” § 
“ He that toucheth pitch shall be defiled with 
it, and he that hath fellowship with the proud 
shall put on pride.” | 

The blindness and darkness which prevail in 
the world render these snares still more danger¬ 
ous. This blindness of worldlings is represented 
by the Egyptian darkness, which was so thick that 
it could be felt, and which, during the three days 
it lasted, prevented every one from leaving the 
place in which he was or beholding the face of 
his neighbor. The darkness which reigns in 
the world is even more palpable. For could 
there be greater blindness than to believe what 
we believe and yet live as w T e are living ? Is it 
not a blindness equal to madness to pay so 
much attention to men and to be so wdiolly re¬ 
gardless of God ? to be so careful in the ob¬ 
servance of human laws and so indifferent in 
the observance of God’s laws ? to labor so 
earnestly for the body, which is but dust, and 
to neglect the soul, which is the image of the 
Divine Majesty ? to amass treasure upon 

♦Exod. xii + Jer. li. 9. $ Gen. xix. 

§ Prov. vi. 27, 28. H Ecclus. xiii. 1. T Exod. x. 21, 22, 23. 


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treasure for this life, which may end to-morrow, 
and to lay up nothing for the life to come, 
which will endure for all eternity ? to live as 
if we were never to die, wholly forgetful of the 
irrevocable sentence which immediately follows 
death ? If his life were never to end the 
sinner could scarcely act with more unbridled 
license. Is it not absolute blindness to sacri¬ 
fice an eternal kingdom for the momentary 
gratification of a sinful appetite ? to be so 
careful of one’s estate and so careless of one’s 
conscience ? to desire that all we possess 
should be good except our own life ? The 
world is so full of such blindness that men 
seem bewitched. They have eyes, and see not; 
they have ears, and hear not. They have eyes 
as keen as those of the eagle in discerning the 
things of this world; but they are as blind as 
beetles to the things of eternity. Like St. 
Paul, who could see nothing, though his eyes 
were open, when he was thrown to the ground 
on his way to Damascus, their eyes are open to 
this life, but utterly blind to the life to come. 

In the midst of such darkness and so many 
snares what can worldlings expect but to stum¬ 
ble and fall ? This is one of the greatest mise¬ 
ries of life, one that should inspire us with 
strong aversion for the world. St. Cyprian, 
desiring to excite in a friend contempt for the 
world, makes use of thiS argument only.* He 
goes with him in spirit to a high mountain, 
whence he points out to him lands, seas, courts 
of justice, palaces and public places, all defiled 

* L. ii. Ep. 2 ad Donat. 


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with the abominations of sin. At the same 
time lie shows his friend, from this spectacle, 
how justly such a world merits his contempt, 
and how great should be his gratitude to God 
for having rescued him from all these evils. 
Imitate this saint, and, rising in spirit above 
the world, gaze on the scene laid before you. 
You will be overwhelmed by the sight of so 
much falsehood, treachery, perjury, fraud, cal¬ 
umny, envy, hatred, vanity, and iniquities of 
every kind, but particularly the total forgetful¬ 
ness of God which prevails in the world. You 
will see the majority of men living like beasts, 
following the blind impulse of brutal passions, 
and living as regardless of justice or reason as 
if they were pagans, ignorant of the existence of 
God, and knowing no other object than to live 
and die. You will see the innocent oppressed, 
the guilty acquitted, the just despised, the wick¬ 
ed honored and exalted, and interest always 
more powerful than virtue. You will see jus¬ 
tice bribed, truth disfigured, modesty unknown, 
arts ruined, power abused, public places cor¬ 
rupted. You will see knaves, worthy of rig¬ 
orous punishment, who, having become rich 
through fraud and rapine, are universally fear¬ 
ed and honored. You will see creatures like 
these, having little more than the appearance of 
men, filling high places and holding honorable 
offices. You will see*money worshipped in¬ 
stead of God, and its corrupting influence 
causing the violation of all laws, both human 
and divine. Finally, you will behold in the 
greater part of the wmrid justice existing only 


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in name. Then will yon understand with how 
much reason the prophets said : “ The Lord 
hath looked down from Heaven upon the chil¬ 
dren of men, to see if there be any that under¬ 
stand and seek God. They are all gone aside, 
they are become unprofitable together; there 
is none that doth good, no, not one.” * “ There 

is no truth, and there is no mercy, and there is 
no knowledge of God in the land. Cursing, and 
lying, and killing, and theft, and adultery have 
overflowed, and blood hath touched blood.’’ f 
Moreover, if you would know the world still 
better, consider him who governs it. As Jesus 
Christ tells us that the devil is the prince of 
this world—that is, of wicked men—what must 
be a body with such a head, a commonwealth 
with such a ruler ? What must it be but a den 
of thieves, an army of brigands, a prison of 
galley-slaves, a nest of serpents and basilisks ? 
Why, then, will you not long to leave a place so 
vile, so filled with treachery and snares; a place 
from which justice, religion, and loyalty seem 
banished ; where all vices reign ; where honesty 
counts for so little among friends; where the 
son desires the death of his father, the hus¬ 
band that of his wife, and the wife that of 
her husband ; where the majority of men of 
every station rob one another under plausible 
pretexts, and where the fires of impurity, 
anger, cupidity, ambition, and every other pas¬ 
sion continually rage ? Who would not fly 
from such a world ? “Who will give me in 
the wilderness a lodging-place, .. and I will leave 

* Ps. xiii 2 , 3. t Osee iv. 1, 2. 


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my people?” says the prophet, “ because they 
are all adulterers, an assembly of transgres¬ 
sors.”* All that we have said on this subject 
applies to the wicked, for there are good men 
in all ranks of life, for whose sake God bears 
with the rest of mankind. 

Judge, therefore, by the picture we have given 
you how much reason you have to hate a world 
so full of corruption, where evil spirits and 
crimes are more numerous than the atoms we 
behold in the rays of the sun. Nourish and 
increase the desire to fly, at least in spirit, from 
this world, saying with David: “Who will 
give me wings iike a dove, and I will fly and be 
at rest ? ” f 

These miseries inseparable from worldly hap¬ 
piness should suffice to show you that it con¬ 
tains more gall than honey, more bitterness 
than sweetness. Nor have I described all the 
wretchedness that accompanies the pleasures of 
this life. In addition to its shortness it is im¬ 
pure, for it reduces men to the level of the 
brute, and raises the animal above the spiritual 
part of their nature. It is intoxicating, cloud¬ 
ing the mind and distorting the judgment. It 
is inconstant, and makes men the same. It is 
treacherous, for it abandons us when we need 
it most. But there is one of its evil character¬ 
istics of which I must speak—that is, its delusive 
appearance. It pretends to be what it is not, 
and promises what it cannot give. In this way 
it allures men to their eternal ruin. As there 
are real and counterfeit jewels and true and 

* Jer. ix. 2. * Ps. liv. 7. 


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false gold, so there are real and counterfeit 
virtues and true and false happiness. Aristo¬ 
tle says that as falsehood sometimes has more 
appearance of truth than truth itself, so many 
things which are evil appear more fair than 
others which are really good. Such is the hap¬ 
piness of the world, and therefore the ignorant 
are allured by it, as fish are drawn to their de¬ 
struction by a glittering bait. It is the nature 
of worldly things to present themselves under 
a bright and smiling exterior which promises 
much joy. But experience soon dissipates our 
illusions ; we feel the sting of the hook almost 
as soon as we take the bait. 

Take, for example, the happiness of a newly- 
married couple. In many cases how brief it is! 
How soon it is interrupted by troubles and 
anxieties ; by the cares of children ; by sick¬ 
ness ; by absence ; by jealousy; by misfortunes; 
by grief ; and sometimes by death itself, which 
suddenly changes it for one or the other into a 
desolate widowhood ! How smilingly the bride 
goes to the altar, seeing only the exterior of 
what is before her ! Were it given to her to 
see the weight of responsibility which she takes 
upon her that day, tears would replace her 
smiles. Eagerly as Kebecca desired children, 
when they were given her, and fought for mas¬ 
tery over each other, she exclaimed, Why was 
my desire granted me ? How many have ut¬ 
tered the same cry when they found the realiza¬ 
tion of their hopes so far below what they pro¬ 
mised ! 

And honors, dignities, preferments—how at- 


304 


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tractive they appear ! But what anxieties, 
what jealousies, what passions, what hardships 
their false splendor conceals ! What shall we 
say of unlawful love ? How pleasing is the 
prospect which it presents to the senses ! But 
once the sinner has entered this dark labyrinth 
he finds himself astray, the victim of a thou¬ 
sand harrowing torments. This forbidden tree 
is guarded by a furious dragon. With the 
sword of an injured parent or a jealous hus¬ 
band he frequently deprives the sinner, by one 
blow, of his reputation, his honor, his fortune, 
his life, and his soul. Study also the covetous 
man, or the worldling whose aim is glory to be 
attained through arms or the favor of the great. 
How often do their lives form a complete tra¬ 
gedy, beginning with prosperity and ending in 
ruin ! Truly the cup of Babylon is golden 
without, but filled with abominations.* 

What, then, is human glory but the song of 
the siren which lures men to destruction, a 
sweet but poisoned cup, a viper of brilliant 
colors breathing only venom ? It attracts us 
only to deceive us ; it elevates us only to crush 
us. Consider, moreover, what a return it exacts 
for all that it gives. Grief at the loss of a child 
far exceeds the joy of its birth. Loss gives us 
more pain than profit gives us joy. The afflic¬ 
tion of sickness far exceeds the pleasure of 
health. An insult wounds us more than honor 
flatters us; for nature dispenses joys and sor¬ 
rows so unequally that the latter affect us much 
more powerfully than the former. These re- 

* Apoc. xvii. 4. 


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flections manifestly prove the delusiveness of 
worldly happiness. 

You have here, dear Christian, a true picture 
of the world, however contrary it is to what the 
world appears to be. Judge, therefore, of its 
happiness, so brief, so uncertain, so dangerous, 
and so delusive. What is this world, then, but 
a land of toil, as a philosopher has wisely said, 
a school of vanity, an asylum of illusions, a 
labyrinth of errors, a prison of darkness, a high¬ 
way of thieves, a stream of infected w r ater, an 
ocean of perpetual storms ? It is a barren soil, 
a stony field, a thorny wood, a meadow whose 
flowers conceal serpents, a garden full of blos¬ 
soms but yielding no fruit, a river of tears, a 
fountain of cares, a deceptive poison, a perfect 
fiction, a pleasing frenzy. Its good is false, 
its evil real, its peace is restless, its security 
unfounded, its fears groundless, its labor pro¬ 
fitless, its tears fruitless, its hope vain, its joy 
false, its grief real. 

Behold what a striking representation of hell 
the world affords. Hell is a place of sin and 
suffering, and in the world these evils also 
abound. “Day and night iniquity shall sur¬ 
round it upon its walls, and in the midst thereof 
are labor and injustice.” * These are the fruits 
the world produces, labor and injustice; these 
are the merchandise in which it traffics. On 
every side we behold sin and its punishment. 
Hence St. Bernard said that were it not for 
the hope of a better life there would be little 
difference between this world and hell, f 

* Ps. liv. 11. t Serin. 4 de Ascen. 


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It now remains for ns to prove that true hap¬ 
piness can only be found in God. Were men 
convinced of this they would cease to pursue 
the pleasures of this world. My intention is to 
prove this important truth less by the authori¬ 
ties and testimonies of faith than by arguments 
drawn from reason. 

It will readily be granted that no creature can 
enjoy perfect happiness until it has attained its 
last end—that is, the highest degree of perfec¬ 
tion of which it is capable. Until it has reach¬ 
ed this it cannot enjoy rest, and therefore it can¬ 
not be perfectly happy, for it feels the want of 
something necessary to its completeness. Now, 
what is man’s last end, on the attainment of 
which depends his happiness ? That it is God 
is undeniable; for since He is our first begin¬ 
ning, He must necessarily be our last end. As 
it is impossible for man to have two first begin- 
ings, so it is impossible for him to have two last 
ends, for this would suppose the existence of two 
Gods. God, then, is man’s last end, and con¬ 
sequently his beatitude. For since it is impos¬ 
sible for him to have more than one last end, it 
follows that in God alone can his happiness be 
found. As the glove is only made for the hand, 
and the scabbard only for the sword, so is the hu¬ 
man heart created only for God, and in God only 
will it find rest. In Him alone will it know 
happiness. Without Him it will be poor and 
miserable. The reason of this is because as 
long as the understanding and the will, the 
noblest faculties of the soul and the principal 
seats of happiness, are unsatisfied, man cannot 


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307 


be at peace. Now, it is evident that these facul¬ 
ties can only be completely satisfied in God. 
For, according to St. Thomas, the understand¬ 
ing can never be so filled that it will not desire 
to grasp more while there remains more to be 
learned ; and the will can never love and relish 
so much good that it will not desire to possess 
more, if more be possible. Consequently these 
two powers will never know rest until they have 
attained a universal object containing all good, 
which, once known and loved, leaves no other 
truth to be known, no other good to be desired. 
Hence no created thing, were it the whole uni¬ 
verse, can satisfy man’s heart. God alone, for 
Whom he was created, can do this. Plutarch 
tells of a man who, having risen from the 
rank of a simple soldier to that of emperor, 
was accustomed to say that he had tried all 
conditions of life, and in none had he found 
happiness. How could it be otherwise, since in 
God alone, man’s sole supreme end, can he find 
supreme rest ? 

Let us illustrate this by an example. Con¬ 
sider the needle of the compass. God has given 
ifc certain properties which cause it invariably 
to turn to the north. Change its direction and 
you will see how restless it becomes until it re¬ 
sumes its normal position. Man in like manner 
naturally tarns to God as towards the pole of 
his existence, his first beginning and last end. 
Let his heart be directed to any other object, 
and he becomes a prey to trouble and disquiet. 
The possession and enjoyment of all the world’s 
favors cannot give him rest. But when he re- 


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turns to God lie immediately finds happiness 
and repose. Hence he alone will be happy who 
possesses God, and therefore he is nearest to 
happiness who is nearest to God. For this rea¬ 
son only the just, who ever draw near to God, 
and whose joy is unknown to the world, are 
truly happy. 

To understand this more fully remember 
that true happiness does not consist in sensible 
or corporal pleasures, as the disciples of Epicu¬ 
rus and Mahomet assume. In the same class 
we may place bad Christians whose lips deny 
the doctrines of these men, but whose lives are 
entirely in accordance with them. For do not 
the majority of the rich, who spend their lives 
in the mad pursuit of pleasure, tacitly acknow¬ 
ledge with Epicureans that pleasure is their last 
end, and with Mahometans that sensual delight 
is their paradise ? 0 disciples worthy of such 

masters ! Why do you not abhor the lives of 
those whose teachings you profess to condemn ? 
If yon will have the paradise of Mahomet you 
must expect to lose that of Christ. True hap¬ 
piness is not to be found in the body nor in cor¬ 
poral advantages, but in the spirit and in spirit¬ 
ual goods, as the greatest philosophers have as¬ 
serted, and as Christianity confirms, though in 
a far more elevated sense. The possession of 
these blessings will afford you more peace and 
happiness than the kings of the earth know 
amidst their power and splendor. TIow many 
of them have testified to this truth by joyfully 
forsaking their crowns after tasting the sweet¬ 
ness of God’s friendship ! St. Gregory, who re- 


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luctantly left liis monastery to ascend the papal 
throne, never ceased to sigh for his humble cell 
as ardently as a captive among infidels sighs for 
liberty and his native land. 

As St. Augustine says, it is not merely the 
possession of goods, but the gratification of his 
just desires and the attainment of his real wants, 
that make man happy. These are to be found 
only in God. Whatever else man possesses, he 
knows not the blessing of peace. Aman, the 
favorite of Assuerus, and powerful by his wealth 
and influence, was yet so disturbed because 
Mardochai did not salute him that he declared 
he found no comfort in all he possessed. See 
how small a thing can poison all the happiness 
which prosperity gives. 

Observe, further how much more accessible 
man is to misery than to happiness in this life ; 
for but one ungratified desire suffices to make 
him miserable, and so many things are required 
to make him happy. Is there, then, any prince 
or potentate sufficiently powerful to have 
everything according to his will and thus free 
himself from contradictions ? Even could he 
bend men to his will what would protect him 
from the infirmities of nature, bodily pains, 
and the anxieties and groundless fears to which 
the mind is often a prey? How can you ex¬ 
pect to find immunity from suffering and con¬ 
tradiction, which the greatest monarchs, with all 
their power, have never attained ? Only that 
which contains in itself all good can give you 
happiness. Why, then, will you seek it so far 
from God, Who is the supreme Good? If these 


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reasons be insufficient to convince you, listen 
to Solomon, than whom no man had a greater 
share of worldly happiness. What are the 
words in which he tells us the result of his 
experience? “Vanity of vanities, vanity of 
vanities, and all is vanity.” * Do not hesitate 
to accept his testimony, for he speaks from ex¬ 
perience. Do not imagine that you can find 
what he could not discover. Consider how 
limited any one’s knowledge must be compared 
to his; for was there ever a wiser, a richer, a 
more prosperous, a more glorious monarch 
than this son of David ? Who ever enjoyed a 
greater variety of amusements ? All things 
contributed to his pleasure, yet he gives this 
result of his almost unlimited prosperity: 
“ Vanity of vanities, and all is vanity.” Can 
you, then, expect to realize what Solomon found 
impossible to attain ? You live in the same 
world, and your resources for happiness are cer¬ 
tainly not better than his. His pursuit of 
pleasure was constant, but in it he found no 
happiness, but rather, as St. Jerome supposes, 
the occasion of his fall. As men more readily 
accept the lessons of experience than those of 
reason, God may have permitted Solomon to 
drink so deep at the fountain of pleasures to 
teach us how worthless they are, and to save 
others from a similar misfortune. How long, 
then, 0 sons of men! will you be dull of 
heart ? Why will you love vanity arrtl seek 
after lies ? f Wisely does the Psalmist term 
them vanity and lies, for if there w r ere nothing 

♦ Ecclcs. 1, 8. t Ps. iv. 3. 


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311 


in worldly things but vanity, which signifies 
nothingness, their evil would be tolerable. 
But their most dangerous characteristic is the 
false assurance with which they persuade us to 
believe that they are what they claim to be. 
In this the world manifests its excessive hy¬ 
pocrisy. Hypocrites endeavor to conceal the 
faults they have committed, and worldlings the 
miseries under which they groan. Some who 
are sinners would pass for saints. Others who 
are miserable would pass for the favorites of 
fortune. But draw near to them, study the 
pulsations of their restless hearts, and you will 
see what a difference there is between appear¬ 
ances and reality. There are plants which at a 
distance appear very beautiful, but touch them 
and they give forth a disagreeable odor. So it 
is with the rich and powerful of this world. 
When you behold the dignity of their position, 
the splendor of their dwellings, and the luxury 
of their surroundings, you would suppose them 
the happiest of men ; but draw near to them, 
search the secret recesses of their souls, the 
hidden corners of their homes, and you will 
find how false is much of the happiness they 
seem to enjoy. 

0 children of men, created to the image of 
God, redeemed by His blood, destined to be 
the companions of Angels, why do you love 
vanity and seek after a lie ? Why do you 
seek in false blessings a peace which they 
cannot give? Why do you leave the table 
of Angels to feed with beasts? Will not the 
calamities with which the world visits you de- 


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termine you to break tlie chains of this cruel 
tyrant ? 

Eeason and experience clearly prove that the 
happiness we seek is to be found only in God. 
Is it not madness to seek it elsewhere ? “ Go 

where you will,” says St. Augustine, “ visit all 
lands, but you will not find happiness until 
you go to God.” 

As we have now arrived at the conclusion of 
our arguments in favor of virtue and in praise 
of its rewards, let us briefly resume what we 
have said. As there is no good which is not 
included in virtue, we must regard it as an uni¬ 
versal good, comparable only to God Himself. 
God contains in His Being all perfections and 
all good. In a certain manner the same may 
be said of virtue. All creatures have each some 
characteristic perfection. Some are beautiful, 
others honest, others honorable, and others 
agreeable. Those among them that possess the 
greatest number of these perfections have most 
claims to our love. What, then, is more worthy 
of our love than virtue, in which all these per¬ 
fections are combined ? If we seek honesty, 
what is more honest than virtue, the root of all 
honesty ? If we look for honor, what is more 
honorable than virtue ? If beauty attracts us, 
what is more beautiful than virtue, of which 
Plato said that were its beauty only seen the 
whole world would follow it? If we desire profit, 
what will we find more profitable than virtue, 
whose hopes are so exalted and whose reward is 
the Sovereign Good ? “ Length of days is in 

her right hand, and in her left hand riches 


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and glory.” * If we seek pleasure, what is com¬ 
parable to the pure pleasures of a good con¬ 
science, of peace, of charity, of the liberty of 
the children of God, of the consolations of the 
Holy Spirit which always accompany virtue ? 
Do we desire renown ? “ The memory of the 

just is with praises ; and the name of the wick¬ 
ed shall rot.” f If we aspire to wisdom, the 
greatest of all wisdom is to know God and to 
understand how to direct our life to its last 
end. If we would have the esteem and affection 
of men, nothing will secure it more effectually 
than virtue; for, to use a comparison of Cicero, 
as the corporal beauty we admire results from 
the regularity and symmetry in the members of 
the body, so from the order and regularity of a 
good life results a beauty which is pleasing not 
only to God and the Angels, but even to the 
wicked and to our very enemies. 

Virtue is an absolute good; it admits of no 
alloy of evil. For this reason God sends to the 
just this short but glorious message: “ Say to 
the just man that it is well.” \ all things, 
even in pain and toil, he shall find good, and 
therefore happiness, because “to them that 
love God all things work together unto good.” § 
Though the elements war upon him, and though 
the heavens fall, he can hold up his head with¬ 
out fear, for the day of his redemption is at 
hand, lie shall be delivered from supreme evil, 
which is the company of Satan, for God, the 
Supreme Good, will be his portion. God the 
Father will adopt him as His son ; God the Son 

* Prov. iii. 16. + Prov. x. 7. % Isaias iii. 10. § Rom. viii. 28. 


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will receive him as His brother; and God the 
Holy Ghost will dwell in him as His temple. 
Having sought first the kingdom of God and 
His justice, every blessing has been given to him. 
From all things he has drawn profit. Every 
creature has been an aid to him in serving God. 
AVill you, then, be so cruel as to deprive yourself 
of a help so powerful and so profitable ? 

As philosophers tell us, good is the object of 
our will, which is the seat of love. Conse¬ 
quently the better a thing is the more de¬ 
serving it is of our love. What, then, has 
so corrupted your will that it rejects this in¬ 
comparable good ? Why will you not imitate 
David, who, though he had the care of a king¬ 
dom, tells us that he had the law of the 
Lord in the midst of his heart ? * He put all 
other considerations aside, and gave to virtue 
the noblest place, the centre of his heart. How 
different is the conduct of worldlings, who give 
vanity the first place in their hearts, and God’s 
law the lowest! 

Do you desire any^ other motive to persuade 
you to follow this wise example and embrace so 
great a good ? If you consider obligation, can 
there be any greater than the obligation which 
binds us to serve God because of what He is in 
Himself ? We have already shown you that all 
other obligations compared to this are as if 
they did not exist. If you can be moved by 
benefits, what benefits are comparable to those 
you have received from God ? Besides the 
grand benefits of creation and redemption, have 

* Ps. xxxix. 9. 


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315 


you any good of soul or body that is not from 
Him ? If interest be your aim, what greater 
could you have than to avoid eternal misery and 
gain eternal joy ? If you aspire to happiness 
in this life, what happiness equals that of 
the just ? The least of the privileges of virtue 
which we have described affords more true 
happiness than the possession of all the trea¬ 
sures of the world. If you reject these evi¬ 
dences in favor of virtue, you do so in wilful 
blindness, for you close your eyes to the light 
of truth. 


* 


CHAPTER XXIX. 

THE FIRST REMEDY AGAINST SIN .* A FIRM 
RESOLUTION NOT TO COMMIT IT. 

I T is not sufficient to persuade men to love 
virtue; we must also teach them how to 
acquire it. The first condition, a wise man 
has said, is the absence of vice. We shall 
therefore first treat of the most common vices 
and their remedies, and afterwards of the vir¬ 
tues and the means of acquiring them. 

Before entering upon this subject bear in 
mind that there are two principles in which 
you must be firmly established if you would 
change your life and give yourself to God. The 
first is a just appreciation of the importance of 
the labor you are about to undertake; you 
must be convinced that this is the sole inte¬ 
rest, the sole profit, the sole wisdom in the 



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world. This is what the Holy Ghost Himself 
teaches us : “ Learn where is wisdom, where is 
strength, where is understanding, that thou 
mayst know also where is length of days and 
life, where is the light of the eyes, and peace.” * 
“ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, and 
let not the strong man glory in his strength, 
and let not the rich man glory in his riches ; 
but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he 
understandeth and knoweth Me.”f 

The second principle with which you must 
be imbued is that as this is such a glorious and 
profitable engagement, you must undertake 
it with vigor and a firm determination to con¬ 
quer. Be persuaded that all the dangers which 
you will encounter will be of little moment 
compared to the sublime end you have in view. 
It is a law of nature that nothing great is ac¬ 
complished without labor and trouble. You 
will no sooner have resolved to give yourself 
to God than hell will send out its forces against 
you. The flesh, corrupted from its birth by the 
poison of the serpent, will assail you with its 
insatiable desires and alluring pleasures. Evil 
habits as strong as nature itself will fiercely 
resist this change of life and exaggerate the 
difficulties which you will encounter. To 
turn a river from its course is hardly more 
laborious than to change a life confirmed by 
inveterate habits. The world, as powerful as it 
is cruel, will wage a fierce war against you. 
Armed with its pleasures and bad examples, it 
will hasten to compass your downfall. At one 

* Baruch iii. 14. t Jer. ix. S3, 24. 


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317 


time it will seek to captivate your heart with 
its pomps and vanities. At another time it 
will strive to entangle you in the net of its 
ways and maxims. Again it will boldly attack 
you with ridicule, raillery, and persecution. 
The devil himself, the arch-deceiver, will re¬ 
new his warfare and turn all his forces against 
you. Enraged at your desertion from his 
party, he will leave nothing undone to ruin 
you. • 

Be prepared, therefore, to meet with difficul¬ 
ties. Remember the words of the Wise Man : 
“ Son, when thou comest to the service of God, 
stand in justice and in fear, and prepare thy 
soul for temptation.” * Do not think you are 
called to enjoyment alone. You must struggle 
and combat; for, notwithstanding the abun¬ 
dant succor which is offered to us, we must ex¬ 
pect hard labor and difficulties in the beginning 
of our conversion. That you may not be dis¬ 
couraged, bear in mind that the prize for which 
you are striving is worth more than all you 
can ever give to purchase it. Remember that 
you have powerful defenders ever near you. 
Against the assaults of corrupt nature you 
have God’s grace. Against the snares of the 
devil you have the almighty power of God. 
Against the allurements of evil habits you 
have the force of good habits confirmed by 
grace. Against a multitude of evil spirits you 
have numberless Angels of light. Against the 
bad example and persecutions of the woyld 
you have the good example and strengthening 

• EccIub. ii. 1. 


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exhortations of the Saints. Against the sinful 
pleasures and vain joys of the world you have 
the pure joys and ineffable consolations of the 
Holy Ghost. Is it not evident that all that are 
for you are stronger than all that are against 
you? Is not God stronger than the devil? 
Is not grace superior to nature ? Are not the 
good Angels more powerful than the fallen 
legions of Satan ? Are not the pure and inef¬ 
fable joys of the soul far more delightful than 
the gross pleasures of sense and the vain amuse¬ 
ments of the world ? 

Resting on these two principles, your first 
determination must be a deep and unshaken 
resolution never to commit mortal sin, for it 
only can rob us of the grace and friendship of 
God. Such a resolution is the basis of a vir¬ 
tuous life. As long as the soul perseveres in 
it she possesses divine charity, which makes 
her a child of God, a member of Christ, a tem¬ 
ple of the Holy Ghost, and gives her a right to 
the blessings of the Church here and the king¬ 
dom of Heaven hereafter. 

In all things we distinguish substance and 
accidents. The latter may be changed, while 
the former remains the same; but if the sub¬ 
stance fail, all is lost. 

Thus a house is still called a house though 
its ornaments are removed, but if the building 
be destroyed the ornaments perish with it. 
Now, the very substance, the life of virtue is 
charity. This remains, and therefore our 
spiritual edifice stands as long as we maintain 
our resolution not to commit mortal sin. If 


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319 


this fail the whole structure is reduced to 
ruin ; we cease to be God’s friends; we become 
His enemies. 

Hence the constancy with which the mar¬ 
tyrs endured such cruel torments. Rather than 
be deprived of God’s grace by mortal sin they 
submitted to be burned, to have their flesh torn 
with heated irons, and to suffer every torture 
which the cruelty of men co#ld invent. They 
knew that had they sinned they could, if time 
were given them, repent and obtain forgiveness, 
as Peter did immediately after denying his 
Master ; yet the most terrible torments were 
more tolerable to them than the momentary 
deprivation of God’s favor and grace. 

Holy Scripture gives us a glorious example of 
this constancy in the mother of the seven sons, 
whom she exhorted to die manfully, and whose 
martyrdom she heroically witnessed before she 
gave up her own life for the law. * Equally 
sublime was the fortitude of Felicitas and 
Symphorosa, who lived in the early age of the 
Church, and who had also seven sons each. 
These intrepid soldiers of Christ were present 
at the martyrdom of their children, and in ac¬ 
cents of sublime courage besought them to en¬ 
dure their tortures with constancy. They had 
the heavenly consolation of seeing them die for 
Christ, and then, with a heroism born only of 
faith, they yielded their own lives to complete 
the sacrifice. In his Life of St. Paul, the first 
hermit, St. Jerome tells of a young man whom, 
after the tyrants had vainly used many means 

* 2 Mach. vii. 


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to force him to sin, they finally bound in so 
helpless a condition that lie could not escape 
from the wretched creature whom they brought 
to him to tempt him. Yet his courage fail¬ 
ed him not, but, biting off his tongue, which 
they could not bind, he spat it into the face of 
his tempter, who fled in dismay. In this he 
was doubtlessly inspired by the Holy Ghost, as 
were so many c# the Saints, who by every 
kind of bodily suffering subdued the violence of 
passions which would lead them to offend God. 

He who desires to walk resolutely in the same 
path must strive to imitate them by fixing this 
resolution deep in his soul. Appreciating 
things at their true value, he must prefer the 
friendship of God to all the treasures of earth ; 
he must unhesitatingly sacrifice perishable joys 
for delights that will be eternal. To accomplish 
this must be the end of all his actions ; the 
object of all his prayers ; the fruit he seeks in 
frequenting the sacraments; the profit he de¬ 
rives from sermons and pious reading ; the les¬ 
son he should learn from the beauty and har¬ 
mony of the world, and from all creatures. 
This will be the happy result of our Saviour’s 
Passion and all the other works of love which 
He unceasingly performs. They will inspire 
him with a horror of offending the good Master 
Who has done so much for him. Finally, this 
holy fear and firm resolution will be the mark 
of his progress in virtue. 

Take a lesson from the carpenter, who, when 
he wishes to drive a large nail, is not satisfied 
with giving it a few strokes, but continues ham- 


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321 


mering until lie is sure it is firmly fastened. 
You must imitate him, if you would firmly im¬ 
plant this resolution in your soul. Be not satis¬ 
fied with renewing it from time to time, but 
daily take advantage of all the opportunities af¬ 
forded you in meditation, in reading, in what 
you see or hear, to fix this horror of sin more 
deeply in your soul. 

If all the calamities which have existed in the 
world since the creation, and all the sufferings 
of hell, were put into one side of a scale, and 
but one mortal sin into the other, it would out¬ 
weigh all these evils, for it is incomparably 
greater. This is a truth which must be strong¬ 
ly felt and constantly remembered. I know 
that the world judges differently, but the dark¬ 
ness which reigns in this second Egypt cannot 
change the real character of sin. Is it astonish¬ 
ing that the blind do not see an evil, however 
great, or that the dead do not feel the pain of 
a mortal wound ? 

We shall treat, therefore, not only of mortal 
but of venial sin ; not that the latter destroys 
the life of the soul, but because it weakens us 
and disposes us to mortal sin, which is death. 
We shall first speak of the seven deadly sins, 
the source of all the others. These sins are 
not always mortal, but they can easily become 
so, particularly when they violate a command¬ 
ment of God or of the Church, or destroy 
charity. 

In the “ Memorial of a Christian Life ” we 
treated of this subject, and gave a number of 
remedies against sin in general. Our intention 


322 


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at present is to give special remedies applicable 
to particular sins, such as pride, covetousness, 
anger, or revenge. By this means we hope to 
supply each one with the medicine necessary 
for his infirmities, and with arms suitable for 
engaging in this warfare. Before entering upon 
this subject it is important to observe that 
in this spiritual combat we have more need of 
eyes than of hands and feet. The eyes, which 
signify vigilance, are the principal weapons to be 
used in this war, which is waged, not against 
flesh and blood, but against the malice of the 
evil spirits. The reason of this is because the 
first source of sin is error in the understanding, 
which is the natural guide and counsellor of the 
will. Consequently the chief endeavor of the 
devil is to darken the understanding, and thus 
draw the will into the same error. Thus he 
clothes evil with the appearance of good, and 
presents vice under the mask of virtue, that we 
may regard it as a counsel of reason rather than 
a temptation of the enemy. When we are 
tempted to pride, anger, ambition, or revenge, 
he strives to make us believe that our desire is 
just, and that not to follow it is to act against 
the dictates of reason. Man, therefore, must 
have eyes to perceive the perfidious hook-which 
is concealed beneath the tempting bait, that he 
may not be misled by vain appearances. 

This clearness of mental vision is also neces¬ 
sary to enable the Christian to appreciate the 
malice and hideousness of sin, and the dangers 
to which it will expose us. Seeing the evil, we 
must restrain our appetites and fear to taste 


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323 


the poison which will immediately cause death. 
We also gather this lesson from that passage in 
Holy Scripture * which speaks of those myste¬ 
rious creatures, figures of the just, which had 
eyes all oyer their bodies, for in them we find 
a striking symbol of that watchful vigilance 
which the Christian must constantly exercise to 
avoid the snares of vice. 


CHAPTER XXX. 

REMEDIES AGAINST PRIDE. 

Section I. 

General Remedies. 

W E have already called the deadly or capi¬ 
tal sins the sources of all iniquity. 
They are the roots of the mighty tree 
of vice, and if we can destroy them the 
trunk and branches must soon decay. With 
them, therefore, we shall begin, following the 
example of Cassian and other spiritual writers, 
who were so firmly convinced that if they could 
only rout these enemies the defeat of the others 
would be an easy task. 

St. Thomas gives us a profound reason for 
this. All sin, he says, proceeds from self-love, 
for w r e never commit sin without coveting some 
gratification for self. From self-love spring 
tiiose three branches of sin mentioned by St. 

♦ Ezech. i. 18. 



324 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


John: “ the concupiscence of the flesh, the con¬ 
cupiscence of the eyes, and the pride of life,” * 
which are love of pleasure, love of riches, and 
love of honors. Three of the deadly sins, lust, 
gluttony, and sloth, spring from love of pleasure, 
pride springs from love of honors, and covet¬ 
ousness from love of riches. The remaining 
two, anger and envy, serve all these unlawful 
loves. Anger is aroused by any obstacle which 
prevents us attaining what we desire, and envy 
is excited when we behold any one possessing 
what our self-love claims. These are the three 
■roots of the seven deadly sins, and consequently 
of all the others. Let these chiefs be destroyed 
and the whole army will soon be routed. Hence 
we must vigorously attack these mighty giants 
who dispute our entrance to the promised land. 

The first and most formidable of these ene¬ 
mies is pride, that inordinate desire of our own 
excellence, which spiritual writers universally 
regard as the father and king of all the other 
vices. Hence Tobias, among the numerous good 
counsels which he gave his son, particularly 
warns him against pride : “Never suffer pride 
to reign in thy mind or in thy words, for from 
it all perdition took its beginning.” f When¬ 
ever, therefore, you are attacked by this vice, 
which may justly be called a pestilence, defend 
yourself with the following considerations : 

First reflect on the terrible punishment which 
the Angels brought upon themselves by one sin 
of pride. They were instantly cast from Heaven 
into the lowest depths of hell. Consider how 

* 1 St. John ii. 16 t Tobias iv. 14. 


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325 


this fall transformed Lucifer, the prince of the 
angelic hosts, and the bright and beautiful star 
surpassing in splendor the sun himself. In one 
moment he lost all his glory, and became not 
only a demon but the chief of demons. If pure 
spirits received such punishment, what can you 
expect, who are but dust and ashes ? God is 
ever the same, and there is no distinction of 
persons before His justice. Pride is as odious 
to Him in a man as m an Angel, while humility 
is equally pleasing to Him in both. Hence St. 
Augustine says : “ Humility makes men Angels, 
and pride makes Angels devils.” And St. Ber¬ 
nard tells us: “ Pride precipitates man from 
the highest elevation to the lowest abyss, but 
humility raises him from the loAvest abyss to 
the highest elevation. Through pride the 
Angels fell from Heaven to hell, and through 
humility man is raised from earth to Heaven.” 

After this reflect on that astonishing example 
of humility given us by the Son of God, Who 
for love of us took upon Himself a nature 
so infinitely beneath His own, and “became 
obedient unto death, even the death of the 
cross.”* Let the example of your God teach 
you, 0 man ! to be obedient. Learn, 0 dust ! to 
humble yourself. Learn, 0 clay ! to appreciate 
your baseness. Learn from your God, 0 Chris¬ 
tian ! to be “meek and humble of heart.” f If 
you disdain to walk in the footsteps of men, 
will you refuse to follow your God, Who died 
not only to redeem us but to teach us humility ? 
Look upon yourself and you will find sufficient 

* rhil. ii. 8. t St. Matt. xi. 29. 


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motives for humility. Consider what you were 
before your birth, what you are since your birth, 
and what you will he after death. Before your 
birth you were, for a time, an unformed mass ; 
now a fair but false exterior covers what is 
doomed to corruption ; and in a little while you 
will be the food of worms. Upon what do you 
pride yourself, 0 man ! whose birth is ignominy, 
whose life is misery, whose end is corruption ? 
If you are proud of your riches and worldly 
position, remember that a few years more and 
death will make us all equal. We are all equal 
at birth with regard to our natural condition ; 
and as to the necessity of dying, w r e shall all be 
equal at death, with this important exception : 
that those who possessed most during life will 
have most to account for in the day of reckon¬ 
ing. “ Examine,” says St. Chrysostom, “the 
graves of the rich and powerful of this world, 
and find, if you can, some trace of the luxury 
in which they lived, of the pleasures they so 
eagerly sought and so abundantly enjoyed. 
What remains of their magnificent retinues and 
costly adornments ? What remains of those in¬ 
genious devices destined to gratify their senses 
and banish the weariness of life ? What has 
become of that brilliant society by which they 
were surrounded ? Where are tiie numerous at¬ 
tendants who awaited their commands ? No¬ 
thing remains of their sumptuous banquets. 
The sounds of laughter and mirth are no longer 
heard ; a sombre silence reigns in these homes 
of the dead. But draw nearer and see what re¬ 
mains of their earthly tenements, their bodies 


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327 


which they loved too much. Naught but dust 
and ashes, worms and corruption.” This is the 
inevitable fate of the human body, however 
tenderly and delicately nurtured. Ah ! would 
to God that the evil ended here ! But more 
terrible still is all that follows death : the dread 
tribunal of God’s justice; the sentence passed 
upon the guilty ; the weeping and gnashing of 
teeth ; the tortures of the worm that never 
dies; and the fire which will never be ex¬ 
tinguished. 

Consider also the danger of vain-glory, the 
daughter of pride, which as St. Bernard" says, 
enters lightly but wounds deeply. Therefore, 
when men praise you, think whether you really 
possess the qualities for which they commend 
you. If you do not you have no reason to be 
proud. But if you have justly merited their 
praise, remember the gifts of God, and say with 
the Apostle : “By the grace of God I am what 
I am.” * Humble yourself, then, when you hear 
the song of praise, and refer all to the glory of 
God. Thus you will render yourself not un¬ 
worthy of what He bestows upon you. For it 
is incontestable that the respect men pay you, 
and the good for which they honor you, are due 
to God. You rob Him, therefore, of all the 
merit which you appropriate to yourself. Can 
any servant be more unfaithful than one who 
steals his master’s glory ? Consider, moreover, 
how unreasonable it is to rate your merit by the 
inconstant opinion of men who to-day are for 
you, and to-morrow against you; who to-day 

* 1 Cor. xv. 10. 


328 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


honor you, and to-morrow revile you. If your 
merit rests upon so slight a foundation, at one 
time you will be great, at another base, and again 
nothing at all, according to the capricious varia¬ 
tions of the minds of men. Oh ! no ; do not 
rely upon the vain commendations of others, 
but upon what you really know of yourself. 
Though men extol you to the skies, listen to the 
warnings of your conscience and accept the 
testimony of this intimate friend rather than 
the blind opinion of those who can judge you 
only from a distance and by what they hear. 
Make no account of the judgments of men, but 
commit your glory to the care of God, Whose 
wisdom will preserve it for you and Whose 
fidelity will restore it to you in the sight of 
Angels and men. 

Be mindful also, 0 ambitious man ! of the 
dangers to which you expose yourself by seek¬ 
ing to command others. How can you com¬ 
mand when you have not yet learned to obey ? 
How can you take upon yourself the care of 
others when you can hardly account for your¬ 
self ? Consider what a risk you incur by 
adding to your own sins those of persons sub¬ 
ject to your authority. Holy Scripture tells us 
that they who govern will be severely judged, and 
that the mighty shall be mightily tormented.* 
Who can express the cares and troubles of one 
who is placed over many ? We read of a cer¬ 
tain king who, on the day of his coronation, 
took the crown in his hands, and, gazing upon 
it, exclaimed : “ 0 crown richer in thorns than 

* Wisdom vi. 6, 7. 


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329 


in happiness, did one truly know thee lie "would 
not stoop to pick thee up even if he found thee 
lying at his feet.” 

Again, 0 proud man ! I would ask you to re¬ 
member that your pride is displeasing to all— 
>to God, Who resists the proud and gives His 
grace to the humble ; * to the humble, who hold 
in horror all that savors of arrogance; and to 
the proud themselves, who naturally hate all 
who claim to be greater than they. Nor will 
you be pleasing to yourself. For if it ever be 
given to you in this world to enter into your¬ 
self and recognize the vanity and folly of your 
life, you will certainly be ashamed of your 
littleness. And if you do not correct it here, 
still less satisfaction will it afford you in the 
next world, where it will bring upon you eter¬ 
nal torments. St. Bernard tells us that if we 
truly knew our hearts we would be displeasing 
to ourselves, which alone would make us pleas¬ 
ing to God; but because we do not know our¬ 
selves we are inflated with pride and therefore 
hateful in His sight. The time will come 
when we shall be odious to God and to our¬ 
selves—to God because of our crimes, and to 
ourselves because of the punishment they will 
bring upon us. Our pride pleases the devil 
only; for as it was pride which changed him 
from a pure and beautiful Angel into a spirit 
of malice and deformity, he rejoices to find 
this evil reducing others to his unhappy state. 

Another consideration which will help you 
acquire humility is the thought of the little 

* St. James iv. 6. 


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The Sinner’s Guide . 


you have done purely for God. How many 
vices assume the mask of virtue ! How frequent¬ 
ly vain-glory spoils our best works ! How many 
times actions which shine with dazzling splendor 
before men have no beauty before God ! The 
judgments of God are different from those of 
men. An humble sinner is less displeasing in 
His sight than a proud just man, if one who 
is proud can be called just. Nevertheless, 
though you have performed good works, do not 
forget your evil deeds, which probably far ex¬ 
ceed your works of virtue, and which may be so 
full of faults and so negligently performed that 
you have more reason to ask to be forgiven for 
them than to hope for reward. Hence St. 
Gregory says: “Alas for the most virtuous 
life, if God judge it without mercy, for those 
things upon which we rely most may be the 
cause of the greatest confusion to us. Our bad 
actions are purely evil, but our good actions are 
seldom entirely good, but are frequently mixed 
with much that is imperfect. Your works, 
therefore, ought to be a subject of fear rather 
than confidence, after the example of holy Job, 
who says: ‘l feared all my works, knowing 
that thou didst not spare the offender/ ” * 

Section II. 

Particular Remedies. 

Since humility comes from a knowledge of 
ourselves, pride necessarily springs from ignor¬ 
ance of ourselves. Whoever, therefore, serious- 

* Job ix. 38. 


The Sinner’s Guide, 


331 


ly desires- to acquire humility must earnestly 
labor to know himself. How, in fact, can he 
be otherwise than humbled who, looking into 
his heart with the light of truth, finds himself 
filled with sins ; defiled with the stains of car¬ 
nal pleasures; the sport of a thousand errors, 
fears, and caprices ; the victim of innumerable 
anxieties and petty cares; oppressed by the 
weight of a mortal body ; so forward in evil and 
so backward in good ? Study yourself, then, 
with serious attention, and you will find in 
yourself nothing of which to be proud. 

But there are some who, though humbled at 
the sight of their failings, are nevertheless ex¬ 
cited to pride when they examine the lives of 
others whom they consider less virtuous than 
themselves. Those "who yield to this illusion 
ought to reflect, though they may excel their 
neighbors in some virtues, that in others they 
are inferior to them. Beware, then, lest you 
esteem yourself and despise your neighbor be¬ 
cause you are more abstemious and industrious, 
when he is probably much more humble, more 
patient, and more charitable than you. Let 
your principal labor, therefore, be to discover 
w 7 hat you lack, and not what you possess. 
Study the virtues which adorn the soul of jour 
neighbor rather than those with which you 
think yourself endowed. You will thus keep 
yourself in sentiments of humility, and increase 
m your soul a desire for perfection. But if 
you keep your eyes fixed on the virtues, real or 
imaginary, which you possess, and regard in 
others only their failings, you will naturally 


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prefer yourself to them, and thus you will be¬ 
come satisfied with your condition and cease to 
make any efforts to advance. 

If you find yourself inclined to take pride 
in a good action, carefully watch the feelings 
of your heart, bearing in mind that this satis¬ 
faction and vain-glory will destroy all the 
merit of your labor. Attribute no good to 
yourself, but refer everything to God. Re¬ 
press all suggestions of pride with the beau¬ 
tiful words of the great Apostle : “ What hast 
thou that thou hast not received ? And if 
thou hast received, why dost thou glory as if 
thou hadstnot received it ? ” * When your good 
works are practices of supererogation or per¬ 
fection, unless your position requires you to 
give an example, do not let your right hand 
know what your left hand does, for vain¬ 
glory is more easily excited by good works 
done in public. When you feel sentiments of 
vanity or pride rising in your heart hasten to 
apply a remedy immediately. One that is 
most efficacious consists in recalling to mind 
all your sins, particularly the most shameful. 
Like a wise physician, you will thus counteract 
the effect of one poison by another. Imitate 
the peacock, and when you feel yourself inflated 
with pride turn your eyes upon your greatest 
deformity, and your vanity will soon fall to 
the ground. The greater your position the 
greater should be your humility, for there is not 
much merit in being humble in poverty and 
obscurity. If you know how to preserve hu- 

* 1 Cor. iv. 7. 


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333 


mility in the midst of honors and dignities you 
will acquire real merit and virtue, for hu¬ 
mility in the midst of greatness is the grand¬ 
est accompaniment of honors, the dignity of 
dignities, without which there is no true ex¬ 
cellence. If you sincerely desire to acquire 
humility you must courageously enter the 
path of humiliation, for if you will not endure 
humiliations you will never become humble. 
Though many are humbled without diminish¬ 
ing their pride, humiliation, as St. Bernard 
tells us, is nevertheless the path to humility, 
as patience is the path to peace, and study 
to learning. Be not satisfied, therefore, with 
humbly obeying God, but be subject to all 
creatures for love of Him.* 

In another place St. Bernard speaks of 
three kinds of fear with which he would have 
us guard our hearts. “Fear,” he says, 
“when you are in possession of grace, lest you 
may do something unworthy of it; fear when 
you have lost grace, because you are deprived 
of a strong protection ; and fear when you 
have recovered grace, lest you should again lose 
it.” Thus you will never trust to your own 
strength; the fear of God which will fill your 
heart will save you from presumption. 

Be patient in bearing persecution, for the pa¬ 
tient endurance of affronts is the touchstone of 
true humility. Never despise the poor and ab¬ 
ject, for their misery should move us to com¬ 
passion rather than contempt. Be not too 
eager for rich apparel, for humility is incom- 

* 1 St. Peter ii. 13. 


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334 

patible with a love of display. One who is too 
solicitous about his dress is a slave to the opin¬ 
ions of men, for he certainly would not expend 
so much labor upon it if he thought he would 
not be observed. Beware, however, of going to 
the other extreme and dressing in a manner 
unsuited to your position. While claiming to 
despise the approbation or notice of the world, 
many secretly strive for it by their singularity 
and exaggerated simplicity. Finally, do not 
disdain humble and obscure employments. 
Only the proud seek to avoid these, for the 
man of true humility deems nothing in the 
world beneath him. 


CHAPTER XXXI. 

KEMEDIES AGAINST COVETOUSNESS. 
Section I. 

Against Covetousness in General. 

C OVETOUSNESS is an inordinate desire of 
riches. Hence we regard as covetous not 
only the man who steals, but also the 
man who passionately longs for another’s 
goods or too eagerly clings to his own. With 
great force St. Paul condemns this vice and 
declares it the source of all iniquity: “They 
that will become rich fall into temptation and 
into the snare of the devil, and into many un¬ 
profitable and hurtful desires, which drown men 



The Sinner’s Guide. 


335 


into destruction and perdition; for the desire of 
money is the root of all evil.” * 

When you are assailed by this vice arm your¬ 
self with the following considerations: Re¬ 
member that our Lord and Saviour, at His com¬ 
ing into this world, disdained to possess riches, 
which are the object of your desires. On the 
contrary, He so loved poverty that He chose 
for his Mother not a rich and powerful queen, 
but a poor and humble Virgin. He willed to 
be born, not in a palace, but in a bleak stable, 
the manger of which, covered with a little 
straw, was His only couch. 

During His life upon earth He never ceased 
to manifest His love for poverty and His con¬ 
tempt for riches. For His Apostles He chose 
not the princes of great houses, but poor and 
ignorant fishermen. What greater presump¬ 
tion can there be than that of a base worm 
coveting riches, when the Creator of the uni¬ 
verse became so poor for love of him ! 

Consider, moreover, your own vileness, since 
you are willing for a gross and perishable in¬ 
terest to sacrifice your immortal soul, created to 
the image of God and redeemed by His blood, 
compared with which the whole world is no¬ 
thing. God would not give His life for this 
material world, but He gave it for the soul of 
man. How much greater, therefore, must be 
the value of a soul! True riches do not con¬ 
sist in silver, or gold, or precious stones, but in 
virtue, the inseparable companion of a good 
conscience. Set aside the vain opinions of men, 

* 1 Tim. vi. 9, 10. 


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and you will see that these precious metals are 
such only by the judgment of the world. Will 
you, who are a Christian, become a slave to 
that which even pagan philosophers despised ? 
“ He who guards his riches like a slave is their 
victim,” says St. Jerome ; “ but he who throws 
off their yoke possesses them as their lord and 
master.” 

Consider also these words of our Saviour : 
“ No man can serve two masters, God and mam¬ 
mon. ” * Man cannot freely rise to God and 
the contemplation of His beauty while he is 
breathless in the pursuit of riches. A heart 
filled with material and earthly pleasures can 
never know spiritual and divine joys. No; it 
is impossible to unite what is false with what is 
true ; what is spiritual with what is carnal; 
what is temporal with what is eternal; they can 
never dwell together in one heart. 

There is another truth of which you must 
not lose sight: the more worldly prosperity you 
enjoy the more destitute you are likely to be 
of spiritual riches, for an abundance of this 
world’s goods leads you to trust in them rather 
than in God. Oh! that you knew the misery 
which such prosperity prepares for you ! The 
desire of more which springs from the love of 
riches is a torment which far exceeds the plea¬ 
sure we derive from their possession. It will 
entangle you in a thousand temptations, fill 
you with cares, and under the delusive image 
of pleasure plunge you into renewed sin and 
prove an inexhaustible source of trouble and 

*St. Matt. vi. 24. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


33 ? 


disquiet. Again, riches are acquired only at 
the expense of pain and labor; they are pre¬ 
served only by care and anxiety; and they are 
never lost without bitter vexation and grief. 
But, worse than all this, they are rarely accu¬ 
mulated without offence against God ; for, as 
the proverb says, “A rich man is either a 
wficked man or a wicked man’s heir.” 

Moreover, all the riches of the world, did 
you possess them, would never satisfy the de¬ 
sires of your heart. They w r ould only excite 
and increase them. However great the posses¬ 
sions you accumulate, there will be a continual 
void within you ; you will never cease to long 
for more. In its pursuit of worldly possessions 
your poor heart fruitlessly exhausts itself, for it 
will never find content. It drinks deep at the 
fountains of pleasure, yet its thirst is never ap¬ 
peased. Its enjoyment of the possessions it 
has already acquired is destroyed by an insatia¬ 
ble thirst for more. Marvelling at the covet¬ 
ousness of the human heart, St. Augustine asks: 
“Whence is it that man is so insatiable in his 
desires while brutes observe a measure in theirs? 
They seek their prey only when they feel the 
cravings of hunger, and after this is appeased 
they are satisfied and rest. But the covetous¬ 
ness of the rich knows no limit; it is never 
satisfied, but is perpetually seeking more.” 

Has not experience shown you also that 
where there are great riches there are many to 
consume, to steal, or to squander them ? If 
you would free yourself from all the anxiety 
consequent on these cares, put yourself in the 


338 


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hands of God and fully confide in His provi¬ 
dence, for He never forsakes those who trust in 
Him. Since He has subjected man to the ne¬ 
cessity of seeking food, He will not permit him 
to perish from hunger. Could God, Who cares 
for the birds of the air and clothes the lilies of 
the field, be indifferent to the necessities of one 
of His noblest creatures ? Life is short; every 
moment brings us nearer to death. Why, then, 
lay up so much provision for so short a jour¬ 
ney ? Why burden yourself with so many pos¬ 
sessions which must necessarily impede your 
progress ? When you will have reached the 
end of your earthly pilgrimage, poor in this 
world’s goods, your wealth of real treasure will 
far exceed that of the covetous, whose lives 
have been spent in accumulating riches. IIotv 
different will be the account exacted of you, 
and how readily you will part from the little 
you may have of the goods of earth, because 
you always esteemed them at their true value ! 
But the rich and the covetous, in addition to 
the terrible account which will be required of 
them, will be rent with anguish at parting from 
that wealth which they loved and adored dur¬ 
ing life. 

Besides the reflections I have suggested, 1 
would ask: For whom are you amassing these 
goods ? Do you not know that you must leave 
this world as poor and naked as you entered 
it?* Think of this, says St. Jerome, and it 
will be easy for you to despise the riches of 
this world, f Beware, then, lest in the pur- 
*Jobi. 21. t Ad Paulin, in Pro!. Bib. 


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339 


suit of these you lose the treasures of eter¬ 
nity. 

Death will rob you of all your earthly pos¬ 
sessions ; your works, good and bad, will alone 
accompany you beyond the tomb. If this 
dread hour find you unprepared, great will 
be your misfortune. All that remains to you 
will then be distributed into three portions, 
your body will become the food of worms; your 
soul the victim of demons, and your wealth the 
prey of eager and perhaps ungrateful or ex¬ 
travagant heirs. Ah ! dear Christian, follow 
the counsel of our Saviour; share your wealth 
with the poor, that it may be borne before you 
into the kingdom which you hope to enjoy. 
What folly to leave your treasures in a place 
of banishment whither you will never return, 
instead of sending them before you to that coun¬ 
try which is intended for your eternal home ! 

Again, I would remind you that God, as a 
wise and sovereign Ruler, has appointed some of 
His children the depositaries of His power and 
the dispensers of Iiis benefits, to guide and 
maintain the others. If you are of the num¬ 
ber of those who from their surplus possessions 
must contribute to the support of the poor, do 
you think that you are justified in expending 
upon yourself what has been given to you for 
the benefit of others ? “ The bread which you 

withhold,” says St. Basil, “is the food of the 
poor; the garments you conceal should clothe 
the naked ; the gold you accumulate is the 
portion of the needy.” Therefore, you rob the 
poor whenever you refuse to succor them from 


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your abundance. The riches you have received 
from God are meant to remedy human misery, 
not to be the instruments of a bad life. There¬ 
fore, do not let your prosperity cause you to 
forget the Author of all your blessings, and let 
not those blessings be a subject of vain-glory. 
Do not, I conjure you, prefer a land of exile to 
your true country. Do not convert into obsta¬ 
cles what is meant to aid you on your journey, 
and do not make of the succors of life instru¬ 
ments of eternal death. Be content with the 
condition in which God has placed you, bear¬ 
ing in mind the words of the Apostle : “Hav¬ 
ing food and wherewith to be covered, with these 
we are content.” * “A servant of God,” says 
St. Chrysostom, “should never seek by his 
dress to gratify his vanity or indulge his flesh ; 
his only object should be to comply with the 
necessities and requirements of his condition.” 
“Seek ye, therefore, first the kingdom of God 
and His justice, and all these things shall be 
added unto you.” f 

Remember also that it is not poverty but 
the love of poverty which is a virtue. Hence 
all who voluntarily forsake wealtli bear a strik¬ 
ing resemblance to our Saviour, who, being rich 
with the riches of God, became poor for love 
of us. They who are compelled to live in pov¬ 
erty, but bear it with patience, never coveting 
the wealth which is denied them, convert their 
necessity into a meritorious virtue. As the 
poor by their poverty conform themselves to 
Jesus Christ, so the rich by their alms can con- 

* 1 Tim. vi. 8. t St. Matt. vi. 33. 


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341 


form their hearts to the merciful Heart of this 
Divine Model, Who in His lowly crib received 
not only the shepherds with their simple tokens 
of affection, but also the wise and powerful 
men of the East, who came to lay at His feet 
the treasures of their gold and frankincense 
and myrrh. 

If, then, God has given you wealth, bestow it 
generously on the poor, assured that it will be 
laid up for you as treasure in the kingdom of 
Heaven; but if you waste the means God has 
given you, you must not expect to find any be¬ 
fore you when you leave this life. Unless such 
a disposition is made of your possessions, how 
can you call them good, since you cannot bear 
them with you and enjoy them in your true 
home ? Lay up, then, by a worthy use of jour 
worldly wealth, a store of spiritual possessions, 
which alone are truly good, and of which, un¬ 
less you freely surrender them, not even death 
can deprive you. 

Section II. 

Against the unjust Detention of Another's 
Goods. 


In connection with the evil of which we are 
treating let us say a few words on the sin of re¬ 
taining the goods of another. Theft consists 
not only in unjustly taking what belongs to an¬ 
other, but also in unlawfully retaining it against 
the owner’s will. Our intention to restore it 
later will not suffice if we are able to do it at 
once, for we are obliged to make restitution as 


342 


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soon as possible. Inability to make immediate 
restitution justifies us in deferring it; while 
continued poverty, if so great as to afford us no 
means, excuses us entirely, for God does not 
require what is impossible. We cannot better 
explain this doctrine than by the words of St. 
Gregory : “ Remember that the riches you have 
unlawfully acquired remain in this world, but 
the sins you committed in obtaining them will 
accompany you into the next. How great is 
your folly, then, to leave your profit here and 
to take only your loss with you—to afford others 
gratification in this world while you endure 
everlasting sufferings in the world to come ! ” * 
The folly of covetousness goes still farther, 
and causes you to sacrifice yourself, your body 
and your soul, to your miserable possessions. 
You are like a man who, to save his coat, ex¬ 
poses his body to be pierced with a dagger. In 
what does your conduct differ from that of 
Judas, if for a little money you will sell justice, 
divine grace, your soul itself ? The hour of 
death, at the latest, will compel you to make 
restitution if you would save your soul. How 
incomprehensible, then, is the mad folly which 
prompts you to accumulate your unlawful gains, 
and, by living in sin, confessing in sin, ap¬ 
proaching the Holy Table in sin, completely 
deprive yourself of spiritual treasures which are 
incomparably superior to all the wealth of this 
world ! Is he not devoid of reason who acts in 
this manner ? Endeavor, therefore, to pay 
what you owe, even to the smallest sum, and 

£. * Epiet. ad Just, II. 


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343 


permit no man to suffer by your neglect. * Do 
not detain the laborer’s wages, f Do not com¬ 
pel him to seek and plead for what justly be¬ 
longs to him, that he may not have reason to 
say that it was more difficult to obtain his wages 
than to earn them. If you have the duties of 
executor to fulfil, beware of defrauding departed 
souls of help due them, lest their expiation may 
be prolonged because of a neglect for which you 
must some day heavily atone. Pay your depen¬ 
dants regularly, and let your accounts be care¬ 
fully kept, that they may give rise to no dis¬ 
putes or claims after your death. Do not 
wholly leave to those who survive you the exe¬ 
cution of your last wishes, but fulfil them your¬ 
self as far as you are able ; for if you are care¬ 
less of your own affairs, how can you expect 
others to be more diligent ? 

Make it a point of honor to owe no man, and 
you will thus enjoy peaceful slumbers, a quiet 
conscience, a contented life, and a happy death. 
The means of acquiring these precious results is 
to control your desires and appetites and to gov¬ 
ern your expenditure by your income, not by 
your caprices. Our debts proceed from our ill- 
regulated, uncontrolled desires more than from 
our necessities, and consequently moderation is 
more profitable than the largest revenues. Let 
us be convinced that the only real riches, the 
only real treasures, are those which the Apostle 
bids us seek when he tells us to fly covetousness 
and pursue justice, godliness, faith, charity, 
patience, and mildness, for godliness with con- 

♦ Dcut. xziv. 15. t Tobias iv. 15. 



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tentment is great gain.* Be contented with 
the position in which God has placed you. Man 
would always enjoy peace did he accept the por¬ 
tion which God gives him ; but, seeking to gra¬ 
tify ambition or cupidity, which craves more 
than God has given him, he exposes himself to 
trouble and disquiet, for real happiness or suc¬ 
cess can never be known by one who strives 
against the will of God. 


CHAPTER XXXII. 

REMEDIES AGAINST LUST. 

Suction I. 

General Remedies . 

L UST is an inordinate desire of unlawful 
pleasures. It is a vice most widely spread 
in the world ; one that is most violent in 
its attacks, most insatiable in its cravings. 
Hence St. Augustine says that the severest war¬ 
fare which a Christian has to maintain is that 
in defence of chastity, for such combats are fre¬ 
quent, and victories rare. 

# Whenever you are assailed by this shameful 
vice resist it with the following considerations : 
Remember, first, that this disorder not only 
stains your soul, purified by the Blood of Christ, 
but defiles your body, in which the thrice 

* 1 Tim. vi. 6,11. 



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345 


holy Body of Christ has been placed, as in 
a shrine. If it be a sacrilege to defile a material 
temple dedicated to God’s service, what must it 
be to profane this living temple, which God has 
chosen for His dwelling ? For this reason the 
Apostle tells us: “ Fly fornication. Every sin 
that a man doth is without the body, but he 
that committeth fornication sinneth against his 
own body.” * Consider, secondly, that this de¬ 
plorable vice necessarily involves scandal to nu¬ 
merous souls and the spiritual ruin of all who 
participate in your crime. This thought will 
cause the sinner to suffer the greatest remorse 
at the hour of death ; for if in the Old Law God 
required a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a 
tooth for a tooth, f what satisfaction can be 
offered Him for the destruction of so many 
souls, purchased at the price of His Blood ? 

This treacherous vice begins in pleasure, but 
ends, in an abyss of bitterness and remorse. 
There is nothing into which man is more easily 
drawn, but nothing from which lie is with more 
difficulty freed. Hence the Wise Man com¬ 
pares an impure woman to a deep ditch, a nar¬ 
row pit, to show how easily souls fall into this 
vice, but with what difficulty they are extricated. 
Man is first allured by its flattering aspect, but 
when he has assumed the sinful yoke, and par¬ 
ticularly when he has cast aside all shame, it 
requires almost a miracle of grace to deliver him 
from his degrading bondage. For this reason it 
is justly compared to a fisherman’s net, which 
the fish easily enter, but from which they rarely 

* 1 Cor. vi. 18. + Exod. xxi. 23,24. 


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escape. Learn, too, how many sins spring from 
this one vice ; for during this long captivity of 
the soul how often is God offended by thoughts, 
words, and desires, if not by actions ? 

The evils which it brings in its train are no 
less numerous than the sins it occasions. It robs 
man of his reputation—his most important pos¬ 
session, for there is no vice more degrading or 
more shameful. It rapidly undermines the 
strength, exhausts the energy, and withers the 
beauty of its victim, bringing upon him the 
most foul and loathsome diseases. It robs 
youth of its freshness, and hurries it into a pre¬ 
mature and dishonorable old age. It penetrates 
even to the sanctuary of the soul, darkening 
the understanding, obscuring the memory, and 
weakening the will. It turns man from every 
noble and honorable work, burying him so deep¬ 
ly in the mire of his impurities that he can nei¬ 
ther think nor speak of anything but what is 
vile. Nor are the ravages of this vice confined 
only to man himself. They extend to all his 
possessions. There is no revenue so great that 
the exactions and follies of impurity will not 
exhaust; for it is closely allied to gluttony, and 
these two vices combine to ruin their victim. 
Men given to impurity are generally addicted to 
intemperance, and squander their substance in 
rich apparel and sumptuous living. Moreover, 
their impure idols are insatiable in their de¬ 
mands for costly jewels, rich adornments, rare 
perfumes, which gifts they love much better 
than they love the donors, their unfortunate 
victims. The example of the prodigal son, 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


347 


exhausting his inheritance in these pleasures, 
shows how terrible is such a passion. 

Consider, farther, that the more you indulge 
in these infamous gratifications, the more insa¬ 
tiable will be your desire for them, the less they 
will satisfy you. It is the nature of these plea¬ 
sures to excite the appetite rather than appease 
it. If you consider how fleeting is the pleasure 
and how enduring its punishment, you will not 
for a moment’s enjoyment sacrifice the unspeak¬ 
able treasure of a good conscience in this life 
and the eternal happiness of Heaven in the next. 
St. Gregory, therefore, has truly said that the 
pleasure is momentary, but the suffering is 
eternal.* 

Consider also the nobility and the value of 
virginal purity, which this vice destroys. Vir¬ 
gins begin here below to live as Angels, for the 
beauty of these glorious spirits is reflected in 
the splendor of their chastity. “ Living in the 
flesh,” says St. Bernard, “and despising its 
allurements is more angelic than human.” f 
“ Virginity,” says St. Jerome, “ is the virtue 
which, amid the corruption of this mortal life, 
best represents the perfection of immortal glory. 
It brings before us the happy condition of the 
celestial City, where there is no marrying, and 
gives us a foretaste of eternal joy.” \ Hence 
virginity is specially rewarded in Heaven. St. 
John tells us that virgins follow the Lamb 
whithersoever He goeth. § They have. risen 
above their fellow-men in their imitation of 

* “ Moral.,” ix. 44. t “ In Nat, Virg.” 

% “ De Virginitatis Laude.” § Apoc. xiv. 4. 


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Christ. They will therefore be more closely 
united to Him for all eternity, and will find in 
the spotless purity of their bodies a source of 
ineffable joy. 

Virginity not only renders man like unto 
Christ, but makes him the temple of the Holy 
Spirit. For this Divine Lover of purity abhors 
whatever is defiled, and delights to dwell in 
chaste souls. The Son of God, Who was con¬ 
ceived of the Holy Ghost, so loved purity that 
He wrought His greatest miracle to preserve 
the purity of His Virgin Mother. If you have 
suffered the loss of this beautiful virtue, learn 
from the temptations which wrought the evil to 
guard against a second fall. If you have not 
preserved the gift of chastity in the perfection 
in which God gave it to you, endeavor to restore 
the beauty of the Creator’s work by giving your¬ 
self to His service with a zeal and fervor born 
of deep gratitude for forgiven sin, and with an 
ardent desire to repair the past. “ It often 
happens,” says St. Gregory, “that one who was 
tepid and indifferent before his fall becomes, 
through repentance, a strong and fervent sol¬ 
dier of Christ.” * Finally, since God continued 
to preserve your life after you had so basely of¬ 
fended Him, profit by this benefit to serve Him 
and make reparation for your sins, lest another 
fall should be irremediable. 


* “ Past.,” p. 1. 


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349 


Section II. 

Particular Remedies. 

Besides these general remedies there are others 
more special, and perhaps more efficacious. 
The first of these is vigorously to resist the first 
attacks of this vice. If we do not resist it in 
the beginning it rapidly acquires strength and 
gains an entrance to our souls. “ When a taste 
for sinful pleasures,” says St. Gregory, “ takes 
possession of a heart, it thinks of nothing but 
how to gratify its inordinate desires.” * We 
must, then, struggle against it from the begin¬ 
ning by repelling every bad thought, for by such 
fuel is the flame of impurity fed. As wood 
nourishes fire, so our thoughts nourish our de¬ 
sires ; and, consequently, if the former be good 
charity will burn in our breast, but if they are 
bad the fire of lust will certainly be kindled. 

In the second place, we must carefully guard 
our senses, particularly the eyes, that they may 
not rest upon anything capable of exciting sin¬ 
ful desires. A man may inflict a deep wound 
upon his soul by inconsiderately turning his 
eyes upon a dangerous object. Prudently guard 
your eyes in your intercourse with the other 
sex, for such glances weaken virtue. Hence we 
are told by the Holy Ghost: “ Look not round 
about thee in the ways of the city. Turn away 
thy face from a woman dressed up, and gaze not 
upon another’s beauty.” \ Think of Job, that 
great servant of God, of such tried virtue, who 
kept so vigilant a guard over his senses that, in 
* “Moral.,” xxi. 7. + Ecclus. ix. 7, 8. 


350 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


tlio expressive language of Scripture, he made 
a covenant with his eyes not so much as to think 
upon a virgin .* Behold also the example of 
David, who, though declared by God to have 
been a man after His own Heart, yet fell into 
three grievous crimes by inconsiderately looking 
upon a woman. 

Be no less watchful in protecting your ears 
from impure discourses. If unbecoming words 
are uttered in your presence testify your dis¬ 
pleasure by at least a grave and serious counte¬ 
nance > for what we hear with pleasure we learn 
to do with complacency. Guard with equal 
care your tongue. Let no immodest words es¬ 
cape you ; for “ evil communications,” says the 
Apostle, “corrupt good morals.”f A man’s 
conversation discovers his inclination, for, to 
quote the words of the Gospel, from the abun¬ 
dance of the heart the mouth speaketh. 

Endeavor to keep your mind occupied with 
good thoughts and your body employed in some 
profitable exercise, “for the devil,” says St. 
Bernard, “fills idle souls with bad thoughts, so 
that they may be thinking of evil if they do not 
actually commit it.” 

In all temptations, but particularly in temp¬ 
tations against purity, remember the presence 
of your guardian Angel and of the devil, your 
accuser, for they both witness all your actions, 
and will render an account of them to Him Who 
sees and judges all things. If you follow this 
counsel, how can you, before your accuser, your 
defender, and your Judge, commit a base sin, 

* Job xxxi. 1. 11 Cor. xv. 33. 


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351 


for which, you would blush before the lowest of 
men ? Remember also the terrible tribunal of 
God’s judgment and the eternal flames of hell; 
for as a greater pain makes us insensible to a 
less, so the thought of the inexhaustible fire of 
hell will render us insensible to the fire of con¬ 
cupiscence. 

In addition to all this, be very guarded in 
your intercourse with women, and beware of 
continuing alone with one for any length of 
time; for, according to St. Chrysostom, the 
enemy attacks men and women more vigorously 
when he finds them alone. He is bolder when 
there are no witnesses present to thwart his ar¬ 
tifices. Avoid the society of women who are 
not above suspicion, for their words inflame the 
heart, their glances wound the soul, and every¬ 
thing about them is a snare to those who visit 
them with imprudent familiarity. Be mindful 
of the example of the elders,* and let not old 
age render you less prudent. Do not trust to 
your own strength ; and let not a habit of vir¬ 
tue inspire you with presumptuous confidence. 
Let there be no improper interchange of pre¬ 
sents, visits, or letters, for these are so many 
snares which entangle us and reawaken danger¬ 
ous affections. If you experience any friendship 
for a virtuous woman let your intercourse be 
marked by grave respect, and avoid seeing her 
too often or conversing too familiarly with her. 
But, as one of the most important remedies is 
avoiding dangerous occasions, we shall give an 
example from the “Dialogues” of St. Gregory to 

* Dan. xiii. 


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show you with what prudence holy souls guard 
this angelic virtue. 

There lived in the province of Mysia a holy 
priest who was filled with the fear of God, and 
who governed his church with zeal and wisdom. 
A very virtuous woman had charge of the altar 
and church furniture. This holy soul the priest 
loved as a sister, but he was as guarded in his 
intercourse with her as if she were his enemy. 
He never permitted her to approach him or con¬ 
verse familiarly with him, or enter his dwelling, 
thus removing all occasions of familiarity ; for 
the Saints not only reject unlawful gratifica¬ 
tions, but forbid themselves even innocent plea¬ 
sures when there is the slightest indication of 
danger to the soul. For this reason the good 
priest would never allow her to minister to him 
even in his extreme necessities. At an advanced 
age, after he had been forty years in the sacred 
ministry, he fell gravely ill, and was soon al¬ 
most at the point of death. As he lay in this 
condition, the good woman, wishing to discover 
whether he still lived, bent over him and put 
her ear to his mouth to listen to his breathing. 
The dying man, perceiving her, indignantly 
exclaimed: “Get thee hence, woman! Get 
thee hence ! The fire still glows in the embers. 
Beware of kindling it with straw ! ” As she 
withdrew he seemed to gain new strength, and, 
raising his eyes, he cried out with a glad voice : 
“ Oh ! happy hour ! Welcome, my lords, wel¬ 
come ! I thank you for deigning to visit so 
poor a servant. I come ! I come ! 99 He re¬ 
peated these words several times, and when they 


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353 


who were present asked him to whom he spoke, 
he said with astonishment : “ Do you not see 
the glorious Apostles St. Peter and St. Paul ? ” 
And, raising his eyes, he again cried : “ I come! 
I come ! ” and as he uttered these words he gave 
up his soul to God. An end so glorious was the 
result of a prudent vigilance which cannot he 
too highly extolled ; and such confidence at the 
hour of death seemed a fitting reward for one 
who during life had been filled with a holy fear 
of God.* 


CHAPTER XXXIII. 

REMEDIES AGAINST Els VY. 

E NVY consists in grieving at another’s good 
or repining at another’s happiness. The 
envious man looks with hatred upon his 
superiors who excel him, upon his equals 
who compete with him, upon his inferiors who 
strive to equal him. Saul’s envy of David and 
the Pharisees’ envy of Christ could only be satis¬ 
fied by death ; for it is the character of this 
cruel vice to stop at nothing until it has com¬ 
passed its end. Of its nature it is a mortal sin, 
because, like hatred, it is directly opposed to 
charity. However, in this, as in other sins, 
there are degrees which do not constitute a 
mortal sin, as, for example, when hatred or 
envy is not grave, or when the will does- not 
fully consent. 


* Dial. iv. 11. 



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The Sinner's Guide . 


Envy is a most powerful, a most injurious 
vice. It is spread all over the world, but pre¬ 
dominates particularly in the courts of kings 
and in the society of the rich and powerful. 
Who, then, can be free from its attacks ? Who 
is so fortunate as to be neither the slave nor the 
object of envy ? From the beginning of the 
world history abounds with examples of this 
fatal vice. It was the cause of the first fratri¬ 
cide which stained the earth, when Cain killed 
Abel.* It existed between the brothers Romu¬ 
lus and Remus, the founders of Rome, and the 
latter fell a victim to the envy of the former. 
Behold its effects in the brothers of Joseph, who 
sold him as a slave ; f in Aaron and Mary, the 
brother and sister of Moses. \ Even the dis¬ 
ciples of our Lord, before the coming of the 
Holy Ghost, were not wholly free from it. Ah ! 
when we see such examples, what must we ex¬ 
pect to find among worldlings, who are far from 
possessing such sanctity, and who are seldom 
bound to one another by any ties ? Nothing 
can give us an idea of the power of this vice or 
the ravages it effects. Good men are its natural 
prey, for it attacks with its poisoned dart all 
virtue and all talent. Hence Solomon says that 
all the labors and industries of men are exposed 
to the envy of their neighbors. § 

Therefore, you must diligently arm yourself 
against the attacks of such an enemy, and un¬ 
ceasingly ask God to deliver you from it. Let 
your efforts against it be firm and constant. If 


* Gen. iv. 

% Numbers xii. 


+ Geii. xxxvif. 
§ Eccles. iv. 4. 


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355 


it persevere in its attacks, continue to oppose 
an obstinate resistance, and make little account 
of the unworthy sentiments it suggests. If 
your neighbor enjoy a prosperity which is de¬ 
nied you, thank God for it, persuaded that you 
have not merited it or that it would not be salu¬ 
tary for you. Remember, moreover, that envy¬ 
ing the prosperity of others does not alleviate 
your own misery, but rather increases it. 

To strengthen your aversion to this vice make 
use of the following reflections: Consider, first, 
what a resemblance the envious man bears to 
the devils, who look with rage upon our good 
works and the heavenly reward we are to receive 
for them. They have no hope of the happiness 
of which they would deprive us, for they know 
that they have irretrievably lost it; but they 
are unwilling that beings created out of dust 
should enjoy honors of which they have been 
dispossessed. For this reason St. Augustine 
says : “ May God preserve from this vice not 
only the hearts of all Christians, but of all men, 
for it is the special vice of devils, and one which 
causes them the most hopeless suffering.” The 
crime of Satan is not theft or impurity, but en¬ 
viously seeking, after his fall, to make man imi¬ 
tate his rebellion. This is truly the feeling 
which actuates the envious. Oftentimes the 
prosperity of others is no prejudice to them ; 
they could not profit by what they strive to take 
from their neighbor ; but they would have all 
equally miserable with themselves. If, then, 
the possessions which you envy in another could 
not be yours were he dispossessed of them, why 


356 


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should they be a cause of grief to you ? When 
you envy the virtue of another you are your own 
greatest enemy ; for if you continue in a state of 
grace, united to your neighbor through charity, 
you have a share in all his good works, and the 
more he merits the richer you become. So far, 
therefore, from envying his virtue, you should 
find it a source of consolation. Alas ! because 
your neighbor is advancing will you fall back ? 
Ah ! if you would love in him the virtues which 
you do not find in yourself, you would share in 
them through charity ; the profit of his labors 
would also become yours. 

Consider, moreover, how envy corrodes the 
heart, weakens the understanding, destroys all 
peace of soul, and condemns us to a melancholy 
and intolerable existence. Like the worm which 
eats the wood in which it is engendered, it preys 
upon the heart in which it was given birth. Its 
ravages extend even to the countenance, whose 
paleness testifies to the passion which rages 
within. This vice is itself the severest judge 
against its victim, for the envious man is sub¬ 
jected to its severest tortures. Hence certain 
authors have termed it a just vice, not meaning 
that it is good, for it is a most heinous sin, but 
meaning that it is its own greatest punishment. 

Consider, again, how opposed is the sin of 
envy to charity, which is God, and to the com¬ 
mon good, which every one should promote to 
the best of his ability ; for when we envy an¬ 
other’s good, when we hate those to whom God 
unceasingly manifests His love, when we perse¬ 
cute those whom He created and redeemed, do 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


357 


we not, at least in desire, strive to undo the 
work of God ? 

But a more efficacious remedy against this 
vice is to love humility and abhor pride, which 
is the father of envy. A proud man, who 
cannot brook a superior or an equal, naturally 
envies all who appear to excel him, persuad¬ 
ing himself that he descends in proportion as 
another rises. Hence the Apostle says: “Let 
ns not be desirous of vain-glory, provoking one 
another, envying one another.” * In other 
words, let us destroy the root of envy, which is 
vain-glory. Let us wean our hearts from world¬ 
ly honors and possessions, and seek only spiritual 
riches, for such treasures are not diminished 
when enjoyed by numbers, but, on the contrary, 
are increased. It is otherwise with the goods 
of the earth, which must decrease in proportion 
to the numbers who share them. For this rea¬ 
son envy finds easy access to the soul which 
covets the riches of this life, where one neces¬ 
sarily loses what another gains. 

Do not be satisfied with feeling no grief at the 
prosperity of your neighbor, but endeavor to 
benefit him all you can, and the good you can¬ 
not give him ask God to grant him. Hate no 
man. Love your friends in God, and your ene¬ 
mies for God. He so loved you while you w r ere 
still His enemy that He shed the last drop of 
His Blood to save you from the tyranny of your 
sins. Your neighbor may be wicked, but that 
is no reason for hating him. In such a case 
imitate the example of a wise physician, who 

* Gal. v. 26. 


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loves his patient, but hates his disease. We 
must abhor sin, which is the work of man, but 
we must always love our neighbor, who is the 
work of God. Never say in your heart: “ What 
is my neighbor to me ? I owe him nothing. 
We are bound by no ties of blood or interest. 
He has never done me a favor, but has probably 
injured me.” Reflect rather on the benefits 
which God unceasingly bestows upon you, and 
remember that all He asks in return is that you 
be charitable and generous, not to ifim, for He 
has no need of you or your possessions, but to 
your neighbor, whom He has recommended to 
your love. 


CHAPTER XXXIV. 


REMEDIES AGAINST GLUTTONY. 

G LUTTONY is an inordinate love of eating 
and drinking. Our Saviour warns us 
against this vice, saying : “ Take heed to 
yourselves lest your hearts be overcharged 
with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and the cares 
of this life.” * 

When you feel the promptings of this shame¬ 
ful disorder, subdue them by the following con¬ 
siderations : Call to mind that it was a sin of 
gluttony which brought death into the world, 
and that it is the first and most important passion 
to be conquered, for upon the subjugation of 
this vice depends your victory over all others. 

* St. Luke xxi. 34. 



The Sinner’s Guide. 


359 


We cannot successfully battle with enemies 
abroad when the forces within us are in a state 
of rebellion. Thus we see that the devil first 
tempted our Saviour to gluttony, wishing to 
make himself master of the avenue through 
which all other vices find an easy entrance. 

Consider also our Saviour’s extraordinary fast 
in the desert and the many other rigorous mor¬ 
tifications which He imposed upon His sacred 
Body, not only to expiate our excesses, but to 
give us a salutary example. How, then, can you 
call yourself a follower of Christ, if, when "He 
fasts, you abandon yourself to the gross plea¬ 
sures of the table ? He refuses no labor, no 
suffering, to redeem you, and you will do no¬ 
thing for your own salvation ! 

If you find abstinence difficult think of the 
gall and vinegar which were given to our Sa¬ 
viour on the Cross; for as St. Bernard tells us, 
there is no food so unpleasant that it may not 
be made palatable by mingling it with this bit¬ 
ter draught. Frequently reflect upon the ter¬ 
rible austerities and wonderful fasts observed 
by the Fathers of the desert; how they fled 
from the world to remote solitude, where, after 
the example of Christ, they crucified their flesh 
with all its irregular appetites, and, sustained 
by God’s grace, subsisted for many years on no 
other food but roots and herbs. Behold how 
these men imitated their Divine Model; behold 
what they thought necessary to reach Heaven. 
How can you gain this same Heaven by the 
path of gross and sensual pleasures ? Think 
of the innumerable poor who are in need of 


•360 


The Sinner's Guide. 


T>read ; and at the sight of God’s liberality to 
you, blush to make the gifts of His bounty in¬ 
struments of gluttony. Consider, again, how 
often the Sacred Host has rested upon your 
'tongue, and do not permit death to enter by 
that gate through which life is conyeyed to 
your soul. 

We may say of gluttony what we have said 
•of impurity, that its pleasures are equally 
•restricted and fleeting. Yet earth, sea, and air 
■seem unable to gratify this passion, for many 
‘Crimes are perpetrated, the poor are defrauded 
and oppressed, and little ones compelled to 
-suffer hunger, to satisfy the sensuality of the 
great. It is deplorable to think that for the 
gratification of one sense man condemns him¬ 
self body and soul to eternal suffering. What 
incomprehensible folly to flatter with such 
•delicate care a body which is destined to be the 
food of worms ! For this miserable body you 
neglect your soul, which will appear before the 
tribunal of God as poor in virtues as its earthly 
companion is rich in sensual pleasures. Nor 
will the body escape the punishment to which 
the soul will be condemned. Having been 
created for the soul, it will share its sufferings. 
Thus by neglecting the nobler part of your be¬ 
ing to devote yourself to the inferior, you lose 
both and become your own executioner. 

To excite in your heart a salutary fear of this 
vice, recall to mind what is related in the Gos¬ 
pel of Lazarus, of his poverty, of his hunger 
which craved the crumbs which fell from the 
rich man’s table, and how he was carried by 


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361 


Angels to Abraham’s bosom; while the rich 
man, who fed upon delicacies and was clothed 
in purple and fine linen, was buried in the 
depths of hell. Moderation and gluttony, tem¬ 
perance and excess, will not reap the same 
fruit in the next world. To patient suffering 
will succeed ineffable happiness, and sensual 
pleasures will be followed by eternal misery. 
What remains to you now of the pleasures of 
your guilty excesses ? Nothing but remorse of 
conscience, which will be the principal torture 
of the life to come. All that you have lavish¬ 
ed upon your ungoverned appetite you have ir¬ 
revocably lost, but what you have given to the 
poor is still yours, for its merit is laid up in the 
kingdom of Heaven. 

That you may not be deceived by the snares 
of this vice disguised as necessities, govern 
your appetite by reason, not by inclination. 
Kemember that your soul can never rule the 
flesh, if it be not itself submissive to God. 
This submission will be the rule and founda¬ 
tion of its empire. Let God command our 
reason ; let reason direct the soul, and the soul 
will be able to govern the body. By observing 
this w T ise order decreed by the Creator the 
whole man will be reformed. But when the 
soul rebels against reason, and reason against 
God, the body will soon rebel against the soul. 

If tempted by gluttony, remember that you 
have already tasted its pleasures and that they 
endured but a moment. They passed like a 
dream, except that while the light of day dis¬ 
pels the images of the night, the remorse for 


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gluttony remains long after its pleasure has de¬ 
parted. But overcome this enemy, and you 
will experience consolation and peace. There¬ 
fore, the following wise saying has justly be¬ 
come celebrated: “If you find difficulty in 
the performance of a virtuous action, the trou¬ 
ble is soon past and the virtue remains ; but if 
you take pleasure in committing a base action, 
its pleasure disappears, but its shame continues 
with you.” * 


CHAPTER XXXV. 

REMEDIES AGAINST ANGER AND HATRED. 

A XGER is an inordinate desire of revenge. 
Against this vice the Apostle strongly 
speaks : “ Let all bitterness and anger, 
and indignation and clamor, and blas¬ 
phemy be put away from you, with all malice. 
And be ye kind one to another, merciful, for¬ 
giving one another, even as God hath forgiven 
you in Christ.” f And our Saviour Himself 
tells us : “Whosoever is angry with his brother 
shall be in danger of the judgment. And who¬ 
soever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger 
of hell-fire.”j; 

When this furious enemy assails you let the 
following considerations help you overcome its 
movements: Consider, first, that even beasts 
live at peace with their kind. Elephants do 

* Anl. Gel., “ Noct. Attic., 11 viii. 15. 
t Ephes. iv. 31, 33. $ St. Matt. v. 22. 



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363 


not war upon one another; sheep live peaceably 
in one fold; and cattle go together in herds. 
We see the cranes taking by turns the place of 
guard at night. Storks, stags, dolphins, and 
other creatures do the same. Who does not 
know of the friendship between the ants and 
the bees ? Even the wildest animals live united 
among themselves. One lion is rarely known 
to attack another, neither will a tiger devour 
one of his kind. Yes, even the infernal spirits, 
the first authors of all discord, are united in a 
common purpose—the perversion of mankind. 
Man alone, for whom peace is most fitting, 
lives at enmity with his fellow-men and in¬ 
dulges in implacable hatred. All animals are 
born with weapons for combat. The bull has 
horns; the boar has tusks; the bird has a 
beak and claws; the bee has a sting, and even 
the tiny fly or other insect has power to bite. 
But man, destined to live at peace with his 
fellow-creatures, comes into the world naked 
and unarmed. Keflect, then, how contrary to 
your rightful nature it is to seek to be revenged 
upon one of your kind, to return evil for evil, 
particularly by making use of weapons which 
nature has denied you. 

In the second place, a thirst for vengeance 
is a vice which befits only savage beasts. You 
belie your origin, you disgrace your descent, 
when you indulge in ungovernable rage, worthy 
only of a wild animal. JElian tells of a lion 
that had been wounded by an African in a 
mountain defile. A year after, when this man 
passed the same way in the suite of King Juba, 


364 


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the lion, recognizing him, rushed among the 
royal guards, and, before he could be restrained, 
fell upon his enemy and tore him to pieces. 
Such is the model of the angry, vindictive man. 
Instead of calming his fierce rage by the 
power of reason, that noble gift which he 
shares with the Angels, he abandons himself 
to the blind impulse of passions which he 
possesses in common with the brutes. 

If it be hard to subdue your anger, excited by 
an injury from one of your fellow-creatures, con¬ 
sider how much more God has borne from you 
and how much He has endured for you. Were 
you not His enemy when He shed the last drop 
of His blood for you ? And behold with what 
sweetness and patience He bears with your 
daily offences against Him, and with what 
mercy and tenderness He receives you when 
you return to Him. 

If anger urge that your enemy does not de¬ 
serve forgiveness, ask yourself how far you 
have merited God’s pardon. Will you have 
God exercise only mercy towards you, when you 
pursue your neighbor with implacable hatred ? 
And if it be true that your enemy does not de¬ 
serve pardon from you, it will be equally true 
that you do not deserve pardon from God. 
Kemember that the pardon which man has not 
merited for himself Christ has superabundant¬ 
ly merited for him. For love of Him, there¬ 
fore, forgive all who have offended you. 

Be assured, moreover, that as long as hatred 
predominates in your heart you can make no 
offering which will be acceptable to God, Who 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


365 


has said : “ If thou offer thy gift at the altar, 
and there thou remember that thy brother hath 
anything against thee, leave there thy offering 
before the altar, and go first to be reconciled to 
thy brother, and then coming thou slialt offer 
tthy gift.”* Hence you can realize how griev¬ 
ous is the sin of enmity among men, since it 
causes an enmity between God and us, and de¬ 
stroys the merit of all our good works. “ We 
gain no merit from good works,” says St. Greg¬ 
ory, “if we have not learned to endure injuries 
with patience.” f 

Consider also that the fellow-creature whom 
you hate is either a just man or a sinner. If a 
just man, it is certainly a great misfortune to 
be the declared enemy of a fi-iend of God. If 
a sinner, it is no less deplorable that you should 
undertake to punish the malice of another 
by plunging your own soul into sin. And if 
your neighbor in his turn seek vengeance for 
the injury you inflict upon him, where will 
your enmities end? Will there be any peace on 
the earth ? 

The Apostle teaches us a more noble revenge 
when he tells us “not to be overcome by evil, 
but to overcome evil by good ” J—that is, to 
triumph by our virtues over the vices of our 
brethren. In endeavoring to be revenged upon 
a fellow-creature you are often disappointed 
and vanquished by anger itself. But if you 
overcome your passion you gain a more glori¬ 
ous victory than he who conquers a city. Our 
noblest triumph is won by subduing ourselves, 

* St. Matt. v. 23, 24. t “ Moral.,” xxi. 16. % Rom. xii. 21. 


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The Sinner's Guide . 


by subjecting our passions to the empire of 
reason. 

Besides these, reflect on the fatal blindness 
into which this passion leads man. Under the 
coyer of justice or right how often does it 
drive him to excesses which cause him a life¬ 
long remorse ! 

The most eflicacious, the sovereign remedy 
against this vice is to pluck from your heart in¬ 
ordinate love of self and of everything that per¬ 
tains to you. Otherwise the slightest word or 
action directed against you or your interests will 
move you to anger. The more you are inclined 
to this vice the more persevering you. should be 
in the practice of patience. Accustom yourself, 
as far as you can, calmly to face the contradic¬ 
tions and disappointments you are likely to en¬ 
counter, and their effect upon you will thus be 
greatly diminished. Make a firm resolution 
never to speak or act under the influence of 
anger, nor to heed any suggestions, however 
plausible, which your heart may urge at such 
moments. Never act until your anger has sub¬ 
sided, or until you have once or twice repeated 
the Our Father or some other prayer. Plu¬ 
tarch tells of a wise man who, on taking leave 
of a monarch, advised him never to speak or 
act in anger, but to wait until he had repeated 
to himself the letters of the alphabet. Learn 
a lesson from this, and avoid the evil conse¬ 
quences of acting from the impulse of anger. 

Though there is no time more unfavorable 
for action, yet there is no time in which we feel 
ourselves more strongly impelled to act than 


The Sinner's Guide. 


367 


when in anger. This is an additional reason 
for opposing with all our strength the sugges¬ 
tions of this passion. For as a man intoxicated 
with wine is incapable of acting according to 
reason, and afterwards repents of what he has 
done in such a condition, so a man beside him¬ 
self with passion, intoxicated with ahger, is in¬ 
capable of any action of which he will not re¬ 
pent in his calmer moments. Anger, wine, and 
sensuality are evil counsellors. “ Wine and wo¬ 
men/’ says Solomon, “make wise men fall 
off.”* By wine he means not only the liquor 
which stupefies the intellect, but all violent pas¬ 
sion which blinds the judgment. Bear in mind 
also that you are held responsible for sins com¬ 
mitted in such a state. 

Another very salutary remedy is to turn your 
thoughts to other things when excited to anger, 
and to endeavor to banish from your mind the 
subject which irritates you ; for if you take 
away the fuel of a fire the flame soon expires. 
Endeavor also to love him with whom you are 
forced to be forbearing, for patience which is 
not accompanied with love, being only exterior, 
is often changed into hatred. Hence, when the 
Apostle tells us that charity is patient, he imme¬ 
diately adds that it is kind;f for true charity 
loves those whom it patiently endures. Finally, 
if you have excited the anger of your neighbor, 
quietly withdraw until his passion has subsid¬ 
ed, or at least answer him with mildness, for 
“a mild answer breaketh wrath .”\ 

* Ecclus. xix. 2. 11 Cor. xiii. 4. % Prov. xv. 1. 


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CHAPTER XXXVI. 

REMEDIES AGAINST SLOTH. 

S LOTH is a reluctance to attend to duty, 
and, according to Cassian, it is especially 
a weariness or distaste for spiritual tilings. 
The peril to which this vice exposes us is 
clearly set forth in these words of our Saviour : 

4 ‘ Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit 
shall be cut down and shall be cast into the 
fire.” * Against its evil effects He again warned 
His disciples when, exhorting them to diligence, 
the opposite of sloth, He told them to watch 
and pray, for they knew not "when the Lord of 
the house would come.f 

Therefore, if this shameful vice attack you, 
banish it by the thoughts we are about to sug¬ 
gest. 

First call to mind the extraordinary labors 
which our Lord endured for you; the many 
sleepless nights He spent in prayer for you ; His 
weary journeys from city to city, healing the 
sick, comforting the sorrowful, and raising the 
dead. How ardently, how unceasingly He de¬ 
voted Himself to the work of our redemption! 
Consider particularly how, at the-time of His 
Passion, He bore upon His bruised and bleeding 
shoulders the heavy weight of His cross for love 
of you. If the God of majesty labored thus to 
deliver you, will you refuse to co-operate in 
your own salvation ? When this tender Lamb 
endured such rude labors to free you from your 

* St. Matt. vii. 19. + St. Mark xiii. 36. 


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389 


sins, will you endure nothing to expiate them ? 
Remember, too, the weary labors of the Apostles, 
who preached the Gospel to the whole world. 
Think of the sufferings endured by the mar¬ 
tyrs, confessors, virgins, anchorites, and by all 
who are now reigning with Christ. It was by 
their teaching and their toil that the faith of 
Christ spread through the known world and 
that the Church has been perpetuated to the 
present day. 

Turn your eyes towards nature, and you will 
find nothing idle. The heavens, by their per¬ 
petual motion, unceasingly proclaim the glory 
of their Creator. The sun, moon, and stars, 
with all the brilliant planets which people al¬ 
most infinite space, daily follow their courses for 
the benefit of man. The growth of plants and 
trees is continual until they have attained their 
appointed strength and proportions. Behold 
the untiring energy with which the ant labors 
for its winter’s food ; with which the bees toil 
in building their hives and storing them with 
honey. These industrious little creatures will 
not allow an idler to exist among them; the 
drones are all killed. Throughout nature you 
find the same lesson. Will not man, therefore, 
blush for a vice which the instinct of irrational 
creatures teaches them to avoid ? To what la¬ 
bors do not men condemn themselves for the 
acquisition of perishable riches, the preservation 
of which, when they are obtained, is an ever-in¬ 
creasing source of care and anxiety ! You are 
striving for the kingdom of Heaven. Will you 
show less energy, will you he less diligent, in 


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toiling for spiritual treasures, which can never 
be taken from you ? 

If you will not profit by time and strength to 
labor now, a day will come when you will vainly 
seek these present opportunities. Sad experi¬ 
ence tells us how many have thus been disap¬ 
pointed. Life is short, and obstacles to good 
abound. Do not, therefore, let the promptings 
of sloth cause you to lose advantages which will 
never return, for “ the night cometh when no 
man can work.” * 

The number and enormity of your sins de¬ 
mand a proportionate penance and fervor to 
satisfy for them. St. Peter denied his Master 
three times, but never ceased to weep for his 
sin, though he knew it bad been pardoned. St. 
Mary Magdalen to the end of her life likewise 
bewailed the disorders of her youth, though she 
heard from our Saviour’s lips these sweet words : 
“Thy sins are forgiven thee.” Numerous are 
the examples of those who, returning to God, 
continued during life to do penance for their 
sins, though many of them had offended God 
far less grievously than you. You daily heap 
up your sins ; and can you consider any labor 
too severe to expiate them ? Oh ! profit by 
this time of grace and mercy to bring forth 
fruits worthy of penance, and by the labors of 
this life to purchase the eternal repose of the 
next. Our works in themselves are paltry and 
insignificant, but united to the merits of Christ 
they acquire infinite value in the sight of God. 
The labor endures but a short time ; the reward 

* St. John ix. 4. 


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371 


will continue for eternity. We are told of a 
saint who was wont to exclaim at the striking 
of the clock: “ 0 my God! another hour has 
flown—one of those hours sent me in which to 
work out my salvation, and for which I must 
render an account to Thee.” Let his example 
inspire us with a determination to profit by the 
time which is given us to lay up works for eter¬ 
nal life. 

If overwhelmed with labors, remember that 
we must enter Heaven by the way of tribulation, 
and that lie only will be crowned who strives 
lawfully.* If tempted to abandon the struggle, 
remember that it is written: “ He that shall 
persevere unto the end, he shall be saved.” f 
Without this perseverance our labor will neither 
bear fruit nor merit reward. Our Saviour w r ould 
not descend from the cross when asked by the 
Jews, for the work of our redemption was not 
accomplished. If, then, we desire to follow in 
the footsteps of our Divine Model, let us labor 
to the end with unwearied zeal. Is not the re¬ 
ward which awaits us eternal ? Let us con¬ 
tinue to do penance ; let ns carry our cross after 
Christ. What will it avail us to have weathered 
the storms and triumphed over the perils of the 
sea of life, if we suffer shipwreck as we are about 
to enter the port of eternal rest ? 

Let not the duration or difficulty of the la¬ 
bors alarm you. God, Who calls you to combat, 
will give you victory. He sees your weakness ; 
He will support you w r hen you falter, and He 
will reward you when you conquer. Reanimate 

* 2 Tim. ii. 5. + St. Matt. x. 22. 


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your failing courage, not by comparing the diffi¬ 
culties of virtue with the pleasures of vice, but 
by comparing the labor which precedes virtue 
with the trouble which surely follows vice. 
Place side by side the fleeting pleasure of sin 
and the eternal happiness of virtue, and you 
will see how preferable is God’s service to the 
fatal repose to which sloth allures you. 

Yet do not allow victory to render you indo¬ 
lent, for success often lulls us into a dangerous 
confidence. Never abandon your arms; for 
your enemies never sleep, and life without 
temptations is as impossible as a sea of perpetu¬ 
al calm. A man is usually tempted most at 
the beginning of a good life, for the devil has 
no need to tempt those who have abandoned 
themselves to his control. But he is unceasing 
in his efforts against those who have resolved 
to give themselves to God. Therefore, let him 
never find you unprepared, but, like a soldier 
in an enemy’s country, be always ready for com¬ 
bat. If you are sometimes wounded, beware of 
throwing away your arms and surrendering in 
dismay. Rather imitate those brave warriors 
whom the shame of defeat spurs to more he¬ 
roic resistance and greater deeds of valor. Thus 
you will rise from a fall with new strength. 
You will see the enemy to whom you formerly 
submitted now flying before you. And if, as 
it may happen in battle, you are repeatedly 
wounded, do not lose heart, but remember that 
the valor of a soldier does not consist in escaping 
wounds, but in never surrendering. We do not 
call a combatant defeated when he is covered 


The Sinner's Guide. 


373 


with wounds, but when lie loses courage and 
abandons the field. And when you are wound¬ 
ed lose no time in applying a remedy ; for one 
wound is more easily cured than two, and a 
fresh wound more quickly than one that has 
been inflamed by neglect. Do not be satisfied 
with resisting temptation, but gather from it 
greater incentives to virtue, and with the as¬ 
sistance of God’s grace you will reap profit 
rather than harm from the attacks of the ene¬ 
my. If you are tempted to gluttony or sen¬ 
suality, retrench something from your usual re¬ 
pasts, even though they in no way exceed the 
limits of sobriety, and give yourself with more 
fervor to fasting and other practices of devotion. 
If you are assailed by avarice, increase the 
amount of your alms and the number of your 
good works. If you feel the promptings of vain¬ 
glory, lose no opportunity of accepting humilia¬ 
tions. Then, perhaps, the devil may fear to 
tempt you, seeing that you convert his snares into 
occasions of virtue, and that he only affords you 
opportunities of greater good. Above all things 
fly idleness. Even in your hours of relaxation 
do not be wholly unoccupied. And, on the 
other hand, do not be so absorbed in your labors 
that you cannot from time to time raise your 
heart to God and treat with Him in prayer. 


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CHAPTER XXXVII. 

OTHER SIHS TO BE AVOIDED. 

Section I. 

On taking the Name of God in Vain. 

B ESIDES the seven capital sins of which we 
have been treating there are others which 
a good Christian should avoid with equal 
diligence. 

The first is taking God’s name in vain. This 
sin directly attacks the majesty of God and is 
more grievous than any of which we could be 
guilty against our neighbor. And this is true 
not only when we swear by God’s holy name, but 
when we swear by the cross, by the Saints, or by 
our own salvation. Any of these oaths, if taken 
falsely, is a mortal sin. Holy Scripture fre¬ 
quently speaks of the heinousness of such of¬ 
fences against God. It is true that if one swear 
inadvertently to what is false the offence is 
not a mortal sin, which requires the full know¬ 
ledge of the intellect and the full assent of the 
will. But this restriction does not apply to 
those who have a habit of confirming their state¬ 
ments by careless oaths without making any 
effort to correct themselves. Those who swear 
in this way, without weighing the import of their 
words, are culpable for this very negligence. 
Hor will it avail them to urge that the inten¬ 
tion of swearing to what is false was farthest 
from their thoughts. They persevere in a bad 


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375 


habit without any attempt to overcome it, and 
therefore they must bear its consequences. 

A Christian, if he would not constantly ex¬ 
pose himself to the guilt of mortal sin, should 
earnestly endeavor to conquer a habit so perni¬ 
cious. To this end let him follow the counsel 
given us by our Saviour, and which St. James 
repeats in these words : “ Above all things, my 
brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, nor by 
the earth, nor by any other oath. But let your 
speech be, Yea, yea ; No, no ; that you fall 
not under judgment/’ * By these words we are 
taught the danger of contracting a habit of care¬ 
less swearing which may eventually lead us to 
swear falsely, and so fail under the sentence of 
eternal death. Swearing in “ truth, judgment, 
and justice,” f as the prophet declares, is the 
only swearing that is justifiable. That is, we 
should swear only to what is true in a just 
cause, and with deliberation. But we should 
not be satisfied with merely shunning the vice 
of taking God’s name in vain ; we should excite 
a horror of it in our children and servants, and 
reprove it whenever we encounter it. If at 
times we inadvertently fall into it, we should 
impose upon ourselves some penance of a prayer, 
or an alms, not only to punish ourselves, but 
to impress on our minds the determination of 
avoiding it in the future. 

All that has been said applies especially to 
blasphemy and perjury. Beware also of that 
vice known as cursing. The Name at whose 
mention “ every knee in Heaven, on earth, and 

* St. James v. 12. t Jer. iv. 2. 


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in hell should bow down” * in reverence should 
he used only with devotion and affection. 
Strive, therefore, to speak with piety of the 
holy Name of God, and do what you can by 
your prayers, your exhortations, and your exam¬ 
ple to banish the terrible evil of which we have 
been speaking. 


Section II. 

On Detraction and Raillery. 

The abominable sin of detraction is so preva¬ 
lent at the present day that there is scarcely a 
society, a family, an individual not guilty of it. 
There are some persons so perversely inclined 
that they cannot bear to hear any good of 
another, but are always alive to their neighbor’s 
faults, always ready to tear his character to 
pieces. 

To excite in your heart a salutary hatred of 
this detestable and dangerous vice consider the 
three great evils which it involves. First, it 
always borders upon mortal sin, even when it is 
not actually such. From criticisms and cen¬ 
sures, with which people generally begin, we 
easily fall into detraction or calumny. Detrac¬ 
tion is committed when we tell another’s real 
faults; calumny, when the fault we mention 
is not real, but the invention of our malicious 
lies. Thus, though we may not be guilty of 
calumny, how often does it happen that a per¬ 
son, from criticising the failings of others which 
are generally known, is gradually led to men- 
* Phil. ii. 10 . 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


377 


tion some hidden and grave sin which robs him 
of his reputation and his honor ! That the fault 
revealed is true in no manner saves the detrac¬ 
tor from the guilt of mortal sin. The descent 
to such a crime is easy ; for when the tongue of 
the detractor is started, and a desire to embel¬ 
lish his story seizes him, it is as difficult to re¬ 
strain him as to extinguish a fire fanned by a 
high wind, or to stop a horse when he has taken 
the bit in his teeth and is dashing madly on. 
It is the fear of this evil which led the author 
of Ecclesiasticus to cry out: “ Who will set a 
guard before my mouth and a sure seal upon 
my lips, that I fall not by them, and that my 
tongue destroy me not ? ” * He keenly real¬ 
ized the difficulties in the way, knowing, as Solo¬ 
mon says, that “ it is the part of man to pre¬ 
pare the soul, and of the Lord to govern the 
tongue.” f 

The second evil of this vice consists in the 
threefold injury which it inflicts—namely, on 
the one who speaks, on him who listens with 
approval, and on the victim who is assailed 
in his absence. 

In addition to this the person who compla¬ 
cently listens to detraction is frequently a tale¬ 
bearer. To ingratiate himself with the victims 
of the detraction he carries to them all that has 
been said [against them, and thus excites enmi¬ 
ties which are seldom extinguished, and which 
sometimes end even in bloodshed. “ The 
whisperer and the double-tongued is ac¬ 
cursed,” we are told in the Sacred Scrip- 

* Ecclus. xxii. 33. t Prov. xvi. 1. 


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tures, “ for he hath troubled many that were 
at peace.”* 

To teach us the baneful effects of this insidi¬ 
ous vice the Holy Ghost compares it at one 
time to the swift blow of a “ sharp razor”; f at 
another time to the bite of the poisonous asp,J 
which disappears, but leaves its venom in the 
wound. With reason, then, did the author of 
Ecclesiasticus say : “ The stroke of a whip 
maketh a blue mark, but the stroke of the 
tongue will break the bones.” § 

The third evil of this vice is the horror it in¬ 
spires and the infamy which it brings upon us. 
Men fly from a detractor as naturally as they 
would from a venomous serpent. “ A man full 
of tongue,” says Holy Scripture, “is terrible in 
his city, and lie that is rash in his word shall 
be hateful.” || Are not these evils sufficient to 
make you abhor a vice so injurious and so un¬ 
profitable ? Why will you make yourself odious 
in the sight of God and men for a sin from 
which you can reap no advantage ? Remember, 
moreover, that in no other vice do we so quickly 
form a habit, for every time we speak with others 
we expose ourselves to the danger of relapsing. 

Henceforward consider your neighbor’s cha¬ 
racter as a forbidden tree which you cannot 
touch. Be no less slow in praising yourself 
than in censuring others, for the first indicates 
vanity and the second a want of charity. Speak 
of the virtues of your neighbor, but be silent as 
to his faults. Let nothing that you say lead 

* Ecclus. xxviii. 15. + Ps. li. 2. X Ps. xiii. 3. 

§ Ecclus. xxviii. 21. II Ecclus. ix. 25. 


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others to think that he is aught but a man of 
virtue and honor. You will thus avoid innu¬ 
merable sins and much remorse of conscience ; 
you will be pleasing to God and men ; and you 
will be respected by all as you respect others. 
Put a bridle upon your tongue and learn to 
withhold an angry word when your heart is 
moved. Believe me, there is no control more 
difficult and at the same time more noble and 
advantageous than that which a wise man ex¬ 
ercises over his tongue. Do not think yourself 
guiltless because you artfully mingle your ma¬ 
licious insinuations with words of praise. In 
this respect the detractor is like the surgeon, 
who soothingly passes his hand over the vein 
before piercing it with the lancet: “ His words 
are smoother than oil, and the same are darts.” * 

To refrain from speaking ill of others is al¬ 
ways a virtue, but it is a still greater virtue to 
refrain from reviling those who have injured 
us; for the greater the injured feeling which 
prompts us to speak, the greater is our gene¬ 
rosity in resisting it. 

Nor is it sufficient not to indulge in detrac¬ 
tion ; you must also endeavor to avoid hearing 
it. Be faithful to the counsel of the Holy 
Spirit, who tells you to “hedge in your ears 
with thorns, and hear not a wicked tongue.” f 
Observe that you are not told to hedge in your 
ears with cotton, but with thorns, that you may 
not only repel the words of the detractor, but 
that you may pierce him, and, by showing him 
a grave countenance, teach him how displeasing 

* Ps. liv, 22. i Ecclus. xxviii. 28. 


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to you is liis conduct. “ The north wind driv- 
eth away rain,” says Solomon, “as doth a sad 
countenance a backbiting tongue.”* Impose 
silence, therefore, upon the detractor, if he be 
your inferior or one whom you can reprove 
without offence. If you cannot do this, pru¬ 
dently endeavor to turn the conversation, or 
show by the severity of your countenance that 
his conversation is not pleasing to you. Beware 
of hearing the detractor with smiling attention, 
for yon thus encourage lnm, and consequently 
share in his guilt. It is a grievous offence to 
set fire to a house, but it is scarcely less culpable 
to stand idly by witnessing its destruction in¬ 
stead of aiding in extinguishing the flames. 

But of all detractions, that which is directed 
against virtuous persons is the most sinful. It 
not only injures the person assailed, but tends 
to discourage others who are beginners in virtue, 
while it confirms the cowardice of those who 
will not risk our censures by striving to do 
good. For what would be no scandal or stum¬ 
bling-block to the strong may prove an insur¬ 
mountable obstacle to the weak. If you would 
appreciate the evil of this kind of scandal reflect 
upon these words of our Saviour : “ He that 
shall scandalize one of these little ones that be¬ 
lieve in Me, it were better for him that a mill¬ 
stone should be hanged about his neck, and 
that he should be drowned in the depth of the 
sea.”f Avoid, therefore, as you would a sacri¬ 
lege, all scandalous reflections upon persons con¬ 
secrated to God. If their conduct furnish mat- 

* Prov. xxv. 23. 


+ St. Matt, xviii. 6. 


The Sinners Guide . 


381 


ter for censure, nevertheless continue to respect 
the sacred character with which they are in¬ 
vested, for it is of them that our Saviour has 
said : “ He that toucheth you toucheth the ap¬ 
ple of My eye.” * 

All that we have said of detraction applies 
with still more reason to those who make others 
the object of derision and raillery; for this vice, 
besides having all the evil consequences of the 
first two, presupposes pride, presumption, and 
contempt for one’s neighbor. In the Old Law 
Grod especially warns us against it: “Thou 
shalt not be a detractor, nor a whisperer among 
the people.” f We have no need to insist upon 
the enormity of this vice; what we have said 
on the subject of detraction is sufficient. 

Section III. 

On Rash Judgments. 

Those who are addicted to detraction and rail¬ 
lery do not confine themselves to what they 
know, but indulge in suppositions and rash 
judgments. When they no longer find matter 
to censure they invent evil intentions, misinter¬ 
pret good actions, forgetting that our Saviour 
has said : “Judge not, that you may not be 
judged ; for with what judgment you judge you 
shall be judged.” | Here also the offence may 
frequently be a mortal sin, particularly when 
we venture to judge in a matter of grave impor¬ 
tance upon very slight evidence. If it be only 
a suspicion, not a real judgment, it may be only 
* Zach. ii. 8. t Lev. xix. 16. % St. Matt. vii. 1, 2. 


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a venial sin, because the act has not been com¬ 
pleted. Even by suspicion, however, a mortal 
sin can be committed by suspecting virtuous 
persons of enormous crimes. 

Section IY. 

On the Commandments of the Church. 

Besides these sins against the Commandments 
of God there are those against the command¬ 
ments of the Church, which also impose upon 
us a grave obligation. Such are the precepts to 
hear Mass on Sundays and holydays of obliga¬ 
tion ; to confess our sins at least once a year, 
and to receive the Holy Eucharist at Easter or 
thereabouts ; to pay tithes to our pastor, and to 
observe the days of fasting and abstinence pre¬ 
scribed by the Church. The precept of fasting 
is binding from the age of twenty-one and up¬ 
wards ; that of abstinence obliges all who have 
attained the age of reason. The sick, the con¬ 
valescent, nursing women, women in pregnan¬ 
cy, those whose labors are severe, and those who 
are too poor to afford one full meal a day, are 
exempt from the law of fasting. There may be 
other lawful reasons for dispensation, for which 
the faithful ought to apply to their pastor or 
confessor, and not take it upon themselves to 
set aside the law of the Church. The difference 
between abstinence and fasting should be re¬ 
membered. By fasting we mean eating only 
one full meal in the day, with a slight collation 
in the evening. By abstinence we mean giving 
up the use of flesh-meat. It should be borne 


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383 


in mind, therefore, on Ember days and at other 
times of fast, that the law is not fulfilled by 
simply abstaining from meat. Except you are 
excused by some of the reasons given above or 
by dispensation, you must observe the fast by 
eating only one full meal, with the collation in 
the evening, and a warm drink, with a cracker 
or small piece of bread, in the morning. In 
regard to hearing Mass, we must endeavor to 
be present at the Holy Sacrifice not only in 
body but in mind, with silence and recollection, 
having our thoughts fixed upon the mystery 
of the altar, or upon some other pious subject. 
The recital of devout prayers, especially the Ro¬ 
sary, is an excellent means of keeping ourselves 
united with God. If we are at the head of a 
house we must be careful to see that all under 
our charge hear Mass, not only on Sundays, but 
also on holydays. Too much laxity regarding 
holydays is apt to prevail among those who earn 
their bread by the sweat of their brow. They 
should remember that the obligation to hear 
Mass on a holy day is the same as the obligation 
to hear it on Sunday. Consequently they must 
make serious and sincere efforts to comply with 
this duty. To attend an early Mass may involve 
the loss of a little sleep, but they should remem¬ 
ber that these holydays occur but seldom, and 
that they must do something to atone for their 
sins and to merit the kingdom of Heaven. Pa¬ 
rents and employers will have a severe account 
to render to God if they cause or permit those 
confided to their care to neglect this sacred 
duty. When there is a just reason, such as the 


384 


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care of the sick or any other pressing necessity 
which prevents our hearing Mass, we are re¬ 
leased from the obligation. 


CHAPTER XXXVIII. 

VENIAL SINS. 

T HOUGH the sins of which we have been 
treating are those which we should avoid 
with most care, yet do not think that you 
are dispensed from vigilance in regard to 
venial sins. I conjure you not to be one of 
those ungenerous Christians who make no scru¬ 
ple of committing a sin because it is venial. 
Remember these words of Holy Scripture : “ He 
that despiseth small things shall fall by little 
and little.” * “ Do not despise venial sins be¬ 

cause they appear trifling,” says St. Augustine, 
“ but fear them because they are numerous. 
Small animals in large numbers can kill a man. 
Grains of sand are very small, yet, if accumu¬ 
lated, they can sink a ship. Drops of water are 
very small, yet how often they become a mighty 
river, a raging torrent, sweeping everything 
before them ! ” The holy Doctor continues to 
observe that though no amount of venial sins 
can constitute a mortal sin, yet these slighter 
failings predispose us to greater faults, which 
often become mortal. St. Gregory observes 
with equal truth that slight faults are some- 

* Ecclus. xix. 1. 



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385 


times more dangerous than greater ones, for the 
latter, when we behold their hideousness, awakeif 
remorse and resolutions of amendment; but the 
former make less impression on us, and thus, 
by easily relapsing into them, we soon contract 
a strong habit. 

Finally, venial sin, however slight, is always 
prejudicial to the soul. It weakens our devo¬ 
tion, troubles the peace of our conscience, di¬ 
minishes the fervor of charity, exhausts the 
strength of our spiritual life, and obstructs the 
work of the Holy Ghost in our souls. Then I 
pray you do all in your power to avoid these 
sins, for there is no enemy too weak to harm us 
if we make no resistance. Slight anger, glut¬ 
tony, vanity, idle words and thoughts, immode¬ 
rate laughter, loss of time, too much sleeping, 
trivial lies or flatteries—such are the sins against 
which I would particularly warn you. Great 
vigilance is required against offences of this 
kind, for occasions of venial sin abound. 


CHAPTER XXXIX. 

SHORTER REMEDIES AGAINST SIN'S, PARTICU¬ 
LARLY THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS. 

T HE means we have already suggested will 
suffice to strengthen you in virtue and 
arm you against vice. The following 
short considerations, however, you can 
use with advantage at the moment of tempta- 



386 


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tion. They were found among the writings of 
a man of great sanctity, who had himself expe¬ 
rienced their efficacy. 

In temptations to pride he would say : When 
I reflect upon the depth of humility to which 
the Son of God, the second Person of the 
Blessed Trinity, descended for love of me, I feel 
that, however profound a contempt men may 
have for me, I yet deserve to be still more 
humbled and despised. 

When attacked by covetousness he would 
think : Having once understood that nothing 
but God can satisfy the heart, I am convinced 
of the folly of seeking anything but this su¬ 
preme Good. 

In assaults against purity he would reflect: 
To what a dignity has my body been raised by 
the reception of the Holy Eucharist! I trem¬ 
ble, therefore, at the sacrilege I would commit 
by profaning with carnal pleasures this temple 
in which God has chosen to dwell. 

Against anger he would defend himself by 
saying : No injury should be capable of moving 
me to anger when I reflect upon the outrages 1 
have offered my God. 

When assailed by temptations to hatred he 
would answer the enemy : Knowing the mercy 
with which God has received me and pardoned 
my sins, I cannot refuse to forgive my greatest 
enemy. 

When attacked by gluttony he would say : 1 
call to mind the vinegar and gall which were 
offered to our Saviour on the Cross, and shall 
I not blush if I do not deny my appetite 


The Sinner's Guide . 


387 


or endure something for the expiation of my 
sins ? 

In temptations to sloth he would arouse him¬ 
self by the thought ; Eternal happiness can be 
purchased by a few years of labor here below ; 
shall I, then, shrink from any toil for so great a 
reward ? 

In a work which some attribute to St. Au¬ 
gustine and others to St. Leo we find similar 
remedies which are equally efficacious. The au¬ 
thor shows us on one side the allurements with 
which each vice solicits us, and on the other 
the arguments with which we must resist it. 

Pride is the first to address us, in the follow¬ 
ing deceitful language: You certainly excel 
others in learning, eloquence, wealth, rank, and 
many other tilings. Being so superior, there¬ 
fore, you have every reason to look down upon 
them. Humility answers : Remember that you 
are but dust and ashes, destined, as rottenness 
and corruption, to become the food of worms; 
and were you all that you imagine, the greater 
your dignity the greater should be your humil¬ 
ity if you would escape a miserable fall. Does 
your power equal that of the Angels who fell ? 
Do you shine upon earth as Lucifer shone in 
Heaven ? If pride thrust him from such a 
height of glory to such an abyss of misery, how 
can you, a slave to the same pride, expect to 
rise from your wretchedness to the honor from 
which he fell ? 

Vain-glory speaks thus : Yes, do all the good 
you can, but publish it, so that the world may 
regard you as a man of great virtue and treat 


388 


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you with consideration and respect. Fear of 
God “answers : It is great folly to devote to the 
acquisition of temporal renown that which can 
obtain for you eternal glory. Endeavor to hide 
your good actions, and if they appear in spite 
of your efforts to conceal them it will not be 
accounted vanity in you when you have no de¬ 
sire to display them. 

Hypocrisy counsels : Assume the good quali¬ 
ties you do not possess, and make men think 
you better than you are, that you may not ex¬ 
cite their contempt. Sincerity answers : It is 
better to be virtuous than to try to appear so. 
By attempting to deceive others you will only 
cause your own ruin. 

Rebellion and Disobedience argue: Why 
should you be subject to those who are your 
inferiors ? It is your place to command and 
theirs to obey, for they are inferior to you in 
wisdom and virtue. It suffices to obey the 
laws of God ; you have no need to be bound by 
the commands of man. Submission and Obe¬ 
dience answer: The law of God obliges you to 
submit to the authority of man. For has not 
God said : He that heareth you liearetli Me, 
and he that despisetli you despiseth Me ” ? * 
Nor can you urge that this injunction is only 
to be observed when he who commands is wise 
and virtuous, for the Apostle says : “ There is 
no power but from God ; and those that are, are 
ordained of God.” f Therefore, your duty is not 
to criticise those in authority, but to obey them. 

Envy whispers : In what are you inferior to 

* St. Luke x. 1G. + Rom. xiii. 1. 


The Sinners Guide. 


3S9 


such men whom others extol ? Why should you 
not enjoy the same and even greater considera¬ 
tion, for you excel them in many things ? It is 
unjust that they should be ranked as your 
equals; with much less reason should they be 
placed above you. Brotherly Love answers : If 
your virtue exceeds that of others it is safer in 
obscurity, for the greater the elevation to which 
a man is raised, the greater is the danger of his 
fall. If the possessions of others equal or ex¬ 
ceed yours, in what does it prejudice you ? Re¬ 
member that by envying others you only liken 
yourself to him of whom it is written : “ By the 
envy of the devil death came into the world ; 
and they follow him that are of his side.” * 
Hatred says : God cannot oblige you to love 
one who contradicts and opposes you, who con¬ 
tinually speaks ill of you, ridicules you, re¬ 
proaches you with your past failings, and thwarts 
you in everything, for he would not thus perse¬ 
cute you if he did not hate you. True Charity 
answers : We must not, because of these de¬ 
plorable faults, cease to love the image of God 
in our fellow-creatures. Did not Jesus Christ 
love His enemies who nailed Him to the Cross ? 
And did not this Divine Master before leaving 
the world exhort us to imitate His example ? 
Drive, then, from your heart the bitterness of 
hatred and yield to the sweetness of fraternal 
charity. Independently of your eternal interests, 
which impose this duty upon you, there is 
nothing sweeter than love, and nothing more 
bitter than hatred, which preys like a cancer on 

* Wisdom ii. 24, 25. 


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the heart of its victim, where it was first en¬ 
gendered. 

Detraction exclaims: It is impossible to be 
silent any longer about the faults of such a 
one. Is not concealment condoning them 
and rendering ourselves partakers of them ? 
Charity, which appreciates the duty of fraternal 
correction, answers : You must neither publish 
your neighbor’s sins nor be accessory to them ; 
but reprove him with mildness and patiently 
bear with him. Moreover, it is the part of 
wisdom sometimes to ignore the faults of an¬ 
other until a favorable opportunity occurs for 
warning him against them. 

Anger cries out: How can you bear such 
affronts ? It does not become you to submit 
calmly to such injuries. If you do not resent 
them you will be insulted with impunity. Pa¬ 
tience answers : Reflect upon the ignominy our 
Saviour endured for you, and there is no wrong 
which you will not bear with meekness. Re¬ 
member also these words of St. Peter : Christ 
suffered for us, leaving you an example that you 
should follow His steps. Who, when He was 
^reviled, did not revile; when He suffered. He 
threatened not.” * 

Consider also how trifling are our sufferings 
compared to the torments He endured for us. 
He was buffeted, scourged, spat upon, crowned 
with thorns, covered with ignominy, and nailed 
to a cross. And, though all these were borne 
for us, yet how quickly we are enraged by a 
trifling word or a slight incivility ! 

* 1 St. Peter ii. 21, 23. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 391 

Hardness-of-heart urges : It profits nothing 
to speak kindly to stupid, ignorant men who 
will probably presume upon your kindness and 
become insolent. Meekness answers : Do not 
hearken to such thoughts, but heed the words 
of the Apostle : “ The servant of the Lord 
must not wrangle, but be mild towards all 
men.” * Inferiors should endeavor with no 
less care to bear themselves with meekness and 
respect towards their superiors, and beware of 
presuming, as many do, upon the kindness and 
gentleness of those in authority. 

Presumption and Imprudence argue thus : 
God witnesses your actions ; what do you care, 
then, how they affect others ? Prudence an¬ 
swers : You owe a duty of edification to your 
neighbor, and your actions should furnish him 
no reason to suspect evil. Beware, therefore, 
of scandalizing another, even in acts that are 
good but misunderstood. If the reproofs of your 
neighbor are well founded, humbly acknowledge 
your fault; if you are guiltless, avow your in¬ 
nocence with no less sincere humility. 

Sloth and Indolence suggest : If you apply 
yourself to study, prayer, meditation, and 
tears you will injure your eyes. If you pro¬ 
long your vigils and fasts you will weaken your 
body "and unfit yourself for spiritual exercises. 
Industry and Zeal answer : Who has assured 
you many years for the performance of these 
good works ? Are you sure of to-morrow, or 
even of the present moment ? Have you forgot¬ 
ten these words of our Saviour : “ Watch ye, 

* 2 Tun. ii. 24. 


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therefore, because you know not the day nor 
the hour” ?* Arise, then, and cast aside this 
indolence which has seized you, for the kingdom 
o*f Heaven, which suffers violence, is not for the 
slothful, but for the violent who will bear it 
away.f 

Covetousness insinuates : Do not give any 
of your possessions to strangers, but keep them 
for yourself and your own. Mercy answers: 
Remember the lesson of the covetous rich man of 
the Gospel who was clothed in purple and fine 
linen; he was not condemned for taking what 
did not belong to him, but for not giving from 
his abundance.J From the depth of hell he 
begged for a drop of water to quench his thirst; 
but it was denied him, because he had refused 
to the poor man at his gate even the crumbs 
which fell from his table. 

Gluttony urges : God created all these things 
for us, and he who refuses them despises the 
benefits of God. Temperance answers: True, 
God created these things for our maintenance, 
but He willed that we should use them with 
moderation, for He has also imposed upon us 
the duty of sobriety and temperance. It was 
principally a disregard of these virtues which 
brought destruction upon the city of Sodom.§ 
Therefore, a man, even when enjoying good 
health, should consult necessity rather than 
pleasure in the choice of his food. He has per¬ 
fectly triumphed over this vice who not only 
limits the quantity of his food, but who denies 


* St. Matt. xxv. 13. 
$ St. Luke xvi. 22. 


+ St. Matt. xi. 12. 
§ Ezech, xvi. 49. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


393 


himself delicacies except when necessity, char¬ 
ity, or politeness prompts him to accept them. 

Loquacity tells us : It is no sin to talk much if 
you say no evil, as, on the contrary, it does not 
free you from fault to allege that your words are 
few if what you have said is bad. Discreet Re¬ 
serve answers : That is true ; but great talkers 
seldom fail to offend with the tongue. Hence 
the Wise Man says: “In the multitude of 
words there shall not want sin.’' * And if you 
are so fortunate as to avoid injurious words 
against your neighbor, you will hardly avoid 
idle words, for which, however, you must render 
an account on the last day. Be reserved and 
moderate, therefore, in your speech, that a mul¬ 
tiplicity of words may not entangle you in sin. 

Impurity counsels thus : Profit now by the 
pleasures life offers you, for you know not what 
may happen to-morrow; it is unreasonable to 
restrict the pleasures of youth, which passes 
like a dream. If God had not willed us the en* 
joyment of these pleasures He never would have 
created us as we are. Chastity answers : Be 
not deceived by such illusions. Consider what 
is prepared for you. If you live pure lives on 
earth you will be rewarded hereafter with in¬ 
effable and eternal joys. But if you abandon 
yourself to your impure desires you will be 
punished by torments equally unspeakable and 
eternal. The more sensible you are of the 
fleeting nature of these pleasures, the more 
earnestly you should endeavor to live chastely ; 
for wretched indeed is that hour of gratification 
* Prov. x. 19. 




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which is purchased at the expense of endless 
Buffering. 

All that we have said in the preceding pages 
will furnish you with spiritual arms to triumph 
over your enemies. If you follow these coun¬ 
sels you will take the first step in virtue ; that 
is, you will extirpate your vices. Thus will 
you defend your soul, the citadel which God 
lias confided to your care, and in which He 
wills to take up His abode. If you defend it 
resolutely and faithfully you will enjoy the 
presence of this heavenly Guest, for the Apostle 
tells us that “God is charity, and that he that 
abideth in charity abideth in God, and God in 
him.”* Now, he abides in charity who does 
nothing to destroy this virtue, which perishes 
only by mortal sin, against which the preceding 
considerations maybe applied as a preventive or 
remedy. 


CHAPTER XL. 

THREE KINDS OF VIRTUES IN WHICH THE FUL¬ 
NESS OF JUSTICE CONSISTS ; AND, FIRST, 
MAN’S DUTY TO HIMSELF. 

Section I. 

Our Threefold Obligation to Virtue. 

H AYING spoken at length of the sins which 
profane and degrade the soul, let us now 
turn to the virtues which elevate and 
adorn it with the spiritual treasures of 
justice. It belongs to justice to render to 

* 1 St. John iv. 16. 



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395 


every one his due: to God, to our neighbor, 
and to ourselves. If we faithfully acquit our¬ 
selves of these duties to God, to our neighbor, 
and to ourselves, we fulfil the obligations of 
justice and thus become truly virtuous. 

To accomplish this great work let your heart 
be that of a son towards God, that of a brother 
towards your neighbor, and that of a judge 
towards yourself. In this, the prophet tells us, 
the virtue of man consists: “I will show thee, 
0 man ! what is good and what the Lord re- 
quireth of thee : Verily, to do judgment, and to 
love mercy, and to walk solicitous with thy 
God.” * The duty of judgment is what man 
owes to himself; the duty of mercy what he 
owes to his neighbor; and to walk carefully 
before God is the duty he owes to his Creator. 

Section II. 

The Reformation of the Body. 

Charity, it is truly said, begins at home. Let 
us, therefore, begin with the first obligation 
mentioned by the prophet—the duty of judg¬ 
ment which man must exercise towards him¬ 
self. Every just judge must enforce order and 
discipline in the district over which he exer¬ 
cises jurisdiction. Now, the kingdom over 
which man rules is divided into two distinct 
parts : the body with all its organs and senses, 
and the soul with all its affections and powers. 
Over all these he must establish the empire of 
virtue, if he would faithfully perform his duty 
to himself. 


* Micheas vi. 8. 





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The Sinner’s Guide. 


To reform the body and bring it tinder the 
dominion of virtue the first thing to be ac¬ 
quired is a modest and decorous bearing. 
u Let there be nothing in your carriage, your 
deportment, or your dress,” says St. Augustine, 
“ capable of scandalizing your neighbor, but let 
everything about you be conformable to the 
purity and sanctity of your profession.” Hence 
a servant of God should bear himself with 
gravity, humility, and sweetness, that all who 
approach him may profit by his example and 
be edified by his virtues. The great Apostle 
would have us, like fragrant plants, giving forth 
the sweet perfume of piety and filling all about 
us with the odor of Jesus Christ,* Such, 
indeed, should be the effect of the words, the 
actions, and the bearing of those who serve 
God, so that none who draw near to them can 
resist the sweet attraction of sanctity. This is 
one of th6 principal fruits of a modest and re¬ 
collected deportment. It is a mute but elo¬ 
quent teaching, which draws men to the love of 
virtue and the service of God. Thus do we 
fulfil the precept of our Saviour: “So let 
your light shine before men that they may 
see your good works, and glorify your Father 
Who is in Heaven.” f The prophet Isaias also 
tells us that God’s servants should be plants 
bearing fruits of righteousness and virtue, the 
beauty of which will lead men to extol the 
power of their Creator .\ This does not mean 
that our good works must be done to gain the 
applause of men, for, as St. Gregory tells us, 

♦ 2 Cor. ii. 15. t tSt Matt. v. 16. $ Isaias lxi. 8. 


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“ a good work may be public only wliile its in¬ 
tention remains a secret between God and the 
soul. The example we thus afford our brethren 
destroys neither the merit of humility nor the 
desire to please only God.” * 

Another fruit which we derive from this 
exterior modesty is a greater facility in pre¬ 
serving the recollection, devotion, and purity 
of the soul. The interior and the exterior man 
are so closely united that good or evil in one is 
quickly communicated to the other. If order 
reign in the soul its effect is experienced in the 
body ; and the body, if disturbed, renders the 
soui likewise restless. Each may in all respects 
be considered a mirror of the other, for the 
actions of one are faithfully represented in the 
other. For this reason a composed and modest 
bearing must contribute to interior recollection 
and modesty, while a restless exterior must be 
incompatible with peace of soul. Hence the 
Wise Man tells us : “He that is hasty with his 
feet shall stumble.” f Tims would he teach us 
that he whose exterior is wanting in that calm 
gravity which is the distinctive mark of God’s 
servants must inevitably stumble and frequently 
fall. 

A third effect of the virtue we are consider¬ 
ing is to communicate to man a composure and 
gravity befitting any office he may fill. We 
behold an example of this in Job, who tells us 
that the “light [the dignity] of his counte¬ 
nance never fell to the earth.” J And speaking 
of the authority of his bearing, he says : “The 

* “ Mora).,” xxix. 18. t Prov. xix. 2. X Job xxix. 24. 


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young men saw me and hid themselves, and the 
old men rose up and stood. The princes ceased 
to speak, and laid the finger on their mouth. 
The rulers held their peace, and their tongue 
cleaved to their throat.” * But the gravity 
and dignity of this holy man were mingled with 
so much sweetness and mercy that, as he tells 
us, “when seated as a king with his army 
about him he was a comforter to them that 
mourned.” f 

Wise men condemn this want of modest 
gravity, less as a fault in itself than as a mark 
of levity; for, as we have already observed, an 
unreserved and frivolous exterior indicates an 
uncontrolled and ill-regulated interior. Hence 
the author of Ecclesiasticus says : “The attire 
of the body, and the laughter of the teeth, and 
the gait of the man show what he is.” J “As 
the faces of them that look therein shine in the 
water,” says Solomon, “ so the hearts of men 
are laid open to the wise ” § by their exterior 
acts. 

Such are the benefits which result from a 
grave and modest deportment. We cannot but 
deplore the conduct of those who, through 
human respect, laugh and jest with a freedom 
unbecoming their profession, and allow them¬ 
selves indulgences which deprive them of many 
of the fruits of virtue. “A religious,” says 
St. John Climachus, “should not abandon 
his fasts through fear of falling into the sin 
of vain-glory.” Neither should fear of the 

*Jobxix. 8,9,10. tlb. 25. t Ecclus. xix. 27. 

§Prov. xxvii. 19. 


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399 


world’s displeasure cause us to lose the advan¬ 
tages of gravity and modesty in our conduct; 
for it is as unreasonable to sacrifice a virtue 
through fear of offending men as it would be 
to seek to overcome one vice by another. 

The preceding remarks apply to our manners 
in general. We shall next treat of the modesty 
and sobriety which we should observe at table. 

Section III. 

Temperance. 

The first thing to be done for the reforma¬ 
tion of the body is to put a rigorous curb on 
the appetites and to refrain from immoderate 
indulgence of any of the senses. As myrrh, 
which is an exceedingly bitter substance, pre¬ 
serves the body from corruption after death, so 
mortification preserves it during life from the * 
corruption of vice. For this reason we shall 
consider the efficacy of sobriety, or temperance 
—a virtue upon which all the others depend, but 
which is very difficult to attain because of the 
resistance of our corrupt nature. 

Read, then, the words in which the Holy 
Spirit deigns to instruct us in this respect: 

44 Use as a frugal man the things that are set 
before thee, lest if thou eatest much thou be 
hated. Leave off first for manners’ sake, and 
exceed not lest thou offend. And if thou sit- 
test among many, reach not thy hand out first 
of all, and be not the first to ask for drink.”* 
Here are rules worthy of the Sovereign Master, 
Who wills that we should imitate in our actions 

* Ecclus. xxxi. 19, 20, 21. 


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the decorum and order which reign in all His 
works. St. Bernard teaches us the same lesson 
m these words : ‘ ‘ In regard to eating there are 
four things to be regulated : the time, the 
manner, the quantity, and the quality. The 
time should be limited to the usual hours of 
our repast; the manner should be free from 
that eagerness which makes us appear absorbed 
in what is set before us; the quantity and 
quality should not exceed what is granted 
others, except when a condition of health 
manifestly requires delicacies.” * 

In forcible words, supported by appropriate 
examples, St. Gregory declares the same senti¬ 
ments : “It belongs to abstinence not to anti¬ 
cipate the ordinary time of meals, as Jonathan 
did when he ate the honeycomb ; f not to de¬ 
sire the greatest delicacies, as the Israelites did 
in the desert when they longed for the flesh- 
pots of Egypt; l not to wish for the choicest 
preparation of food, as the people of Sodom ; § 
and not to yield to greediness, as Esau did || 
when he sold his birthright for a mess of 
pottage.” % 

Hugh of St. Victor tells us we must be very 
attentive to our deportment at table, always 
observing a certain modesty of the eyes and a 
reserve of speech. There are some, he says, 
who are no sooner seated at table than their 
uncontrolled appetite is manifested by their 
bearing: their eyes eagerly scan the whole 
board; they rudely help themselves before 

* Ep. ad Fratres de Monte Dei. 11 Kings xiv. 27. 

X Exod. xvi. 3. § Gen. xix. || Gen. xxv. 33. 

T “Moral,” xxx. 27. 


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401 


others, and seize upon the nearest dish, regard¬ 
less of all save self. They approach the table 
as a general approaches a fort which he is to 
assail, as if they were considering how they can 
most quickly consume all that lies before them.* 
Control these disgraceful indications of a de¬ 
grading vice, and overcome the vice itself by 
restricting the quantity and quality of your 
food. Bear these wise counsels in mind at all 
times, but particularly when the appetite is 
stimulated by hunger/ or by rare and sump¬ 
tuous viands which prove strong incentives to 
gluttony. Beware of the illusions of this vice, 
which St. John Climachus tells us is most de¬ 
ceptive. At the beginning of a repast it is so 
clamorous that it would seem that no amount 
could satisfy our hunger ; but if we are firm in 
resisting its unruly demands we shall see that 
a moderate portion is sufficient for nature. An 
excellent remedy against gluttony is to bear in 
mind when we go to table that there are, as a 
pagan philosopher says, two guests to be pro¬ 
vided for : the body, to which we must furnish 
the food which its necessity craves; and our 
soul, which we must maintain by the virtues of 
self-denial and temperance. A no less effica¬ 
cious remedy is to compare the happy fruits of 
abstinence with the gross pleasures of gluttony, 
which will enable us to appreciate the folly of 
sacrificing such lasting advantages for such 
pernicious and fleeting gratifications. 

Kemember, moreover, that of all the plea¬ 
sures of the senses those of taste and feeling are 

* “Discip. Monast.” 


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the lowest. We have them in common with 
all animals, even the most imperfect, while 
there are many which lack the other three, 
seeing, hearing, and smelling. These former 
senses, tasting and feeling, are not only the 
basest, but their pleasures are the least endur¬ 
ing, for they vanish with the object which pro¬ 
duced them. Add to these considerations the 
thought of the sufferings of the martyrs, and 
the fasts and mortifications of the Saints. 
Think, too, of your many sins which must be 
expiated ; of the pains of purgatory ; of the 
torments of hell. Each of these things will 
tell you how necessary it is to take up the 
cross, to overcome your appetites, and to do 
penance for the sinful gratifications of the past. 
Kemember, then, the duty of self-denial; pre¬ 
pare for your necessary meals with such re¬ 
flections before your mind, and you will see 
how easy it will be to observe the rules of mod¬ 
eration and sobriety. 

Though this great prudence is necessary in 
eating, how much more is required in drink¬ 
ing ! There is nothing more injurious to chas¬ 
tity than the excessive use of wine, in which, 
as the Apostle says, there is luxury.* It is at 
all times the capital enemy of this angelic 
virtue ; but it is particularly in youth that such 
indulgence is most fatal. Hence St. Jerome 
says that wine and youth are two incentives to 
impurity, f Wine is to youth what fuel is to 
fire. As oil poured upon the flames only in¬ 
creases their intensity, so wine, like a violent 

* Ephes. v. 18. + Ad Eastoch. de Cust. Virg. 


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403 


conflagration, heats the blood, enkindling and 
exciting the passions to the highest pitch of 
folly and madness. Witness the excesses into 
which man is led by hatred, love, revenge, and 
other passions, when stimulated by intoxicating 
liquors. The natural effect of this fatal indul¬ 
gence is to counteract all the results of the 
moral virtues. These subdue and control the 
baser passions, but wine excites and urges them 
to the wildest licentiousness. Judge, there¬ 
fore, with what vigilance you should guard 
against the attacks of such an enemy. Eemem- 
ber, too, that by wine is meant every kind of 
drink capable of robbing man of the use of his 
reason or his senses. A philosopher has wisely 
said that the vine bears three kinds of grapes : 
one for necessity, one for pleasure, and one for 
folly. In other words, wine taken with modera¬ 
tion supports our weakness; beyond this limit 
it only flatters the senses ; and drunk to excess 
it produces a species of madness. Heed no 
inspiration or thought which you have reason 
to think is excited by wine, the worst of evil 
counsellors. Avoid with equal care all disputes 
or arguments at table, for they are often the be¬ 
ginning of grave quarrels. Be no less moderate 
in speech than in the indulgence of your appe¬ 
tite ; for, as Holy Scripture tells us, “ there is 
no secret where drunkenness reigneth.” * We 
shall find rather unbridled tongues, immoderate 
laughter, vulgar jokes, violent disputes, the 
revelation of secrets, and many other unhappy 
consequences of intemperance. 

* Prov. xxxi. 4. 


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Another evil against which I would warn you 
is dwelling upon the merits of certain dishes, and 
condemning others because they are not so deli¬ 
cate. How unworthy it is of man to fix his mind 
and heart on eating and drinking with such 
eagerness that the burden of his conversation is 
on the excellent fish of such a river, the luscious 
fruit of such a country, and the fine wines of 
such a region ! This is a clear proof that he 
has lost sight of the true end of eating, which is 
to support nature, and that, instead of devoting 
to this work the senses destined for it, he de¬ 
bases his heart and his intelligence to make 
them also slaves of his gluttony. Avoid with 
especial care all attacks upon your neighbor’s 
character. The malicious rapacity which 
prompts us to tear our neighbor’s reputation 
in pieces was justly condemned by St. John 
Chrysostom as a species of cannibalism : “ Will 
you not be satisfied with eating the flesh of 
animals ? Must you devour human flesh by rob¬ 
bing another of his good name ?” St. Augus¬ 
tine had so great a horror for this vice, from 
which so few tables are free, that he inscribed 
on the walls of his dining-room the following 
lines : 

“ This board allows no vile detractor place 
Whose tongue will charge the absent with disgrace.”* 

Still another point to which I wish to direct 
your attention is the warning given by St. 
Jerome, that it is better to eat moderately every 

* “ Quisqnis amat dictis absentinm rodere vitam 
Hanc mensam vetitam noverit. esse sibi.” 

—In “ Vita Aug.,” c. 22. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


405 


day than to fast for several days and then to eat 
to excess. A gentle rain, he says, in proper sea¬ 
son benefits the earth, but violent floods only 
devastate it.* 

Finally, let necessity, not pleasure, govern you 
in eating and drinking. I do not say that you 
must allow your body to want for nourishment. 
Oh ! no ; like any animal destined for the ser¬ 
vice of man, your body must be supported. All 
that is required is to control it, and never to 
eat solely for pleasure. We must conquer, not 
destroy, the flesh, says St. Bernard; we must 
keep it in subjection, that it may not grow 
proud, for it belongs to it to obey, not to gov¬ 
ern. f 

This will suffice to show the importance of 
this virtue. But he who would learn more of 
the happy fruits of temperance, and its salutary 
effects not only upon the soul but even upon 
health, life, honor, and happiness, may read a 
special treatise on this subject which we have 
added to our book on Meditation and Prayer. 

Section IV. 

The Government of the Senses. 

The next step in the reformation of the body 
is the government of the senses. These are the 
avenues which a Christian should guard with 
special care, particularly the eyes, which, in the 
language of Holy Scripture, are the windows 
through which death enters to rob us of life. 
Persons desirous of making progress in prayer 

* Ep. vii. ad Laec. + Ep. ad FF. de Monte Dei. 


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should be very vigilant in guarding this sense, 
for this watchfulness not only promotes recol¬ 
lection, but is a most efficacious means of pre¬ 
serving chastity. Without this guard they are 
a prey to all the vanities which surround them, 
and which take such possession of the imagina¬ 
tion that it is impossible to banish them during 
prayer. This is the reason of the modesty of 
the eyes which devout souls observe. Not only 
do they avoid images which could tarnish the 
purity of their hearts, but they resolutely turn 
their eyes from curious objects and worldly vani¬ 
ties, that their mind and heart may be free to 
converse with God without distraction, and to 
advance in the knowledge of spiritual things. 
Prayer is so delicate an exercise that it is im¬ 
peded not only by sinful images, but also by the 
representation of objects otherwise harmless in 
themselves. 

The sense of hearing requires a no less vigi¬ 
lant guard, for through it we learn multitude 
of things which weary, distract, and even defile 
the soul. We should protect our ears not only 
from evil words, but from frivolous conversa¬ 
tions, worldly gossip, and idle discourses. During 
meditation we suffer from a want of vigilance in 
this respect, for these things are great obstacles 
to recollection, and persistently interpose be¬ 
tween God and the soul in time of prayer. 

Little need be said of the sense of smell, for 
an inordinate love of perfumes and sweet es¬ 
sences is so sensual and effeminate that most 
men are ashamed of it, for it is a gratification 
in which few but women indulge. 


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407 


Section V. 

The Government of the Tongue. 

Here is a subject upon which there is much 
to be said, for we are told in Holy Scripture 
that “ death and life are in the power of the 
tongue.” * From this we can understand that 
the happiness or misery of every man depends 
upon the use he makes of this organ. St. James 
asserts this truth no less strongly when he says : 
“ If any man offend not in word, the same is a 
perfect man. He is able also with a bridle to 
lead about the whole body. We put bits into 
the mouths of horses that they may obey us, 
and we turn about their whole body. Bel)old 
also ships, whereas they are great and are driven 
by strong winds, yet are they turned about with 
a small helm whithersoever the force of the gov¬ 
ernor willeth. So the tongue also is, indeed, a 
little member and boasteth great things. Be¬ 
hold how small a fire what a great wood it 
kindleth. And the tongue is a fire, a world of 
iniquity.f To govern this great instrument 
for good we must bear in mind, when we speak, 
four things : of what we speak, how we speak, 
the time we speak, and the object for which we 
speak. 

In regard to the first point, what we speak, 
remember the counsel of the Apostle : “Let no 
evil speech proceed from your mouth, but that 
which is good to the edification of faith, that it 
may administer grace to the hearers-. All un¬ 
cleanness, or covetousness, let it not be so much 

* Prov. xviii. 21. + St. James iii. 2-6. 


408 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


as named among yon, as becometh saints, or ob¬ 
scenity, or foolish talking, or scurrility.” * As 
the sailor always bears with him a chart indi¬ 
cating the shoals and rocks which could wreck 
his vessel, so should the Christian bear with him 
these counsels of the Apostle indicating the 
shoals of speech which could wreck him in his 
voyage to eternity. Be no less careful in guard¬ 
ing a secret which has been confided to you, for 
the betrayal of a trust is one of the vilest faults 
into which the tongue can lead us. 

In regard to the second point, how we are 
to speak, let us observe a just medium between 
silence and talkativeness, between timidity and 
self-sufficiency, between frivolity and pomposity ; 
always speaking with becoming gravity, mode¬ 
ration, sweetness, and simplicity. Beware of 
haughtily asserting and obstinately persisting 
in your statements, for this fault gives rise to 
disputes which wound charity and destroy the 
peace of the soul. It is the part of a generous 
nature to yield in such contentions, and a pru¬ 
dent man will follow the counsel of the inspired 
writer: “ In many things be as if thou wert 
ignorant, and hear in silence and withal seek- 
ing.”t. 

Consider also the necessity of observing when 
you speak, and always endeavor to select a suit¬ 
able time : “ A parable coming out of a fool’s 
mouth shall be rejected, for he doth not speak 
it in due season.” \ 

Finally, we must consider the end for which 
we speak. There are some whose only pur- 

* Epfces. iv. 29, and v. 3, 4. t Ecclns. xxxii. 12. X Ecclus. xx. 22. 


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409 


pose is to appear learned. Others desire to pa¬ 
rade their wit and conversational powers. The 
first are thus led into hypocrisy and deceit, and 
the second become the sport of self-love and 
vanity. It does not suffice, therefore, that our 
conversation be good in itself—it must be direct¬ 
ed to some good end, such as the glory of God 
or the profit of our neighbor. In addition to 
this we must also consider the persons to whom 
we speak. For example, it does not become 
the young to engross the conversation in the 
presence of their elders, nor the ignorant in the 
presence of the learned, nor lay persons in the 
presence of ecclesiastics or religious. When you 
have reason to think that your words may be 
untimely or presumptuous, be silent. All per¬ 
sons are not capable of judging correctly in 
these points, and, therefore, in doubt, the wisest 
course is a prudent silence. We shall thus con¬ 
form to all the rules we have been considering ; 
for, as the Wise Man says: “ Even a fool, if he 
will hold his peace, shall be counted wise ; and 
if he close his lips, a man of understanding.” * 

Section VI. 

The Mortification of the Passions. 

Having thus regulated the body and all its 
senses, the most important reformation still re¬ 
mains to be effected, which is that of the soul 
with all its powers. Here the first to present 
itself is the sensitive appetite which comprises 
all our natural affections : love, hatred, joy, 

* Prov. xvii. 38. 


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sorrow, fear, hope, anger, and other sentiments 
of a like nature. This appetite is the inferior 
part of the soul, which gives us our strongest 
resemblance to irrational animals, because, like 
them, it is guided solely by inclination. No¬ 
thing degrades us more or leads us further from 
God. Hence St. Bernard says that if we take 
away self-love, by which he understands all 
the movements of the sensitive appetite, there 
will be no longer any reason for the existence 
of hell.* The sensitive appetite is the arsenal 
which supplies sin with its most dangerous 
arms. It is the vulnerable part of the soul, a 
second Eve, frail and inconstant, heeding the 
wiles of the old serpent and dragging with her 
in her fall the unhappy Adam—that is, the su¬ 
perior part of the soul, the seat of the will and 
the understanding. Original sin is here mani¬ 
fested in all its power. Here the malignity of 
its poison is concentrated. Here is the field of 
man’s combats, defeats, and victories. Here 
is the school in which virtue is exercised and 
trained, for all our courage, all our merit con¬ 
sists in overcoming the blind passions which 
spring from the sensitive appetite. 

This is why our soul is represented sometimes 
as a vine needing the careful pruning of the hus¬ 
bandman ; sometimes as a garden from which 
the gardener must diligently uproot the weeds 
of vice to give place to the plants of virtues. It 
should be the principal occupation of our lives, 
therefore, to cultivate this garden, ruthlessly 
plucking from our soul all that can choke the 

* “ De Kesurrectione Dni.,” Serm. ill. 


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411 


growth of good. We shall thus become true 
children of God, guided by the motions of the 
Holy Ghost. We shall thus live as spiritual 
men, following the guidance of grace and the 
dictates of reason, and not as those carnal men 
who, following the irrational animals, obey only 
the impulse of passion. This subjection of the 
sensitive appetite is the mortification so much 
commended in Scripture; the death to which 
the Apostle so frequently exhorts us ; the prac¬ 
tice of justice and truth so constantly extolled 
by David and the other prophets. Therefore, 
let it be the object of all our labors, all our 
prayers, and all our pious exercises. 

Each one should carefully study his own dis¬ 
position and inclinations, in order to place the 
most vigilant guard on the weakest side of his 
nature. We must wage constant war against 
all our appetites, but it is particularly neces¬ 
sary to combat the desire of honors, of riches, 
and of pleasures, for these are the roots of all 
evil. 

Beware, too, of that pride which bears with 
no opposition. It is a fault which prevails 
among persons of elevated station accustomed 
to command, and to deny themselves no caprice. 
To conquer it, learn to deny yourself innocent 
gratifications, that you may more easily sacrifice 
those which are unlawful. Learn to bear con¬ 
tradictions with a dignity and patience worthy 
of a creature who was not made for the tilings 
of this world, but who aspires to immortality* 
Such exercises will render us skilful in the use 
of spiritual weapons, which require no less prac- 


412 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


tice than is necessary for the proper management 
of material arms. Much more important, how¬ 
ever, is a skilful use of the former, for a victory 
over self, over pride, or over any passion far out¬ 
weighs all the conquests of the world. Humble 
yourself, then, in the performance of lowly and 
obscure works, regardless of the world's opinion; 
for what can it take from us, or what can it give 
us, when our inheritance is God Himself ? 

Section VII. 

The Reformation of the Will. 

One of the most efficacious means of effecting 
this reformation is to strengthen and adorn the 
superior will—that is, the rational appetite— 
with humility of heart, poverty of spirit, and a 
holy hatred of self. If we possess these the 
labor of mortification is easily accomplished. 
Humility, according to the definition of St. Ber¬ 
nard, is contempt of self founded on a true 
knowledge of our baseness. The effect of this 
virtue is to pluck from our heart all the roots 
of pride as well as all love of earthly honors and 
dignities. It inspires us to seek the lowest 
place, persuading us that had another received 
the graces we enjoy he would have been more 
grateful and would have used them more profit¬ 
ably for the glory of God. It is not sufficient 
that man cherish these sentiments in his heart; 
they should also be evident in his deportment 
and surroundings, which, regardless of the 
world's opinion, should be as humble and sim¬ 
ple as his position will admit. And while he 


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413 


maintains the dignity due to his station his 
heart should ever be ready to submit not only 
to superiors and equals, but even to inferiors 
for the love of God. 

The second disposition required to strengthen 
and adorn the will is poverty of spirit, which 
consists in a voluntary contempt for the things 
of this world, and in a perfect contentment in 
the position in which God has placed us, how¬ 
ever poor and lowly it may be. This virtue 
effectually destroys cupidity, and affords us so 
great a peace and contentment that Seneca did 
not hesitate to affirm that he who closed his 
heart to the claims of unruly desires was not 
inferior in wealth or happiness to Jupiter him¬ 
self. By this he signified that as man’s misery 
springs from unfulfilled desires, he may be said 
to ‘be very near the summit of happiness who 
has learned to subdue his desires so that they 
cannot disturb him. 

The third disposition is a holy hatred of our¬ 
selves. “ He that loveth his life shall lose it,” 
says our Saviour, “and he that hateth his life 
in this world keepeth it unto life eternal.”* 
By this hatred of self our Lord did not mean 
that Wicked hatred in which they indulge who 
yield to despair, but that aversion which the 
Saints experienced for their flesh, which they 
regarded as the source of many evils and as a 
great obstacle to good. Hence they subjected 
it to the empire of reason, and denied its inor¬ 
dinate desires, that it might continue an humble 
servant and willing helper of the soul. If we 

* St. John xii. 25. 


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treat it otherwise we shall realize these words of 
the Wise Man : “ He that nourisheth his ser¬ 
vant delicately from his childhood, afterwards 
shall find him stubborn.” * This hatred of 
self is our chief instrument in the work of sal¬ 
vation. It enables us to uproot and cast from 
us all our evil inclinations, however much nature 
may rebel. Without it how could we strike 
rude blows, penetrate to the quick with the 
knife of mortification, and tear from our hearts 
objects upon which our affections are centred ? 
Yes, the arm of mortification, which draws its 
force as much from hatred of self as from love 
of God, .enables us to treat our failings with 
the firmness of a skilful physician, and relent¬ 
lessly to cut and burn with no other thought 
than to rid the soul of every evil tendency. 
Having developed this subject in the “Me¬ 
morial of a Christian Life,” we shall not here 
speak of it at greater length. 

Section VIII. 

The Government of the Imagination. 

Besides these two faculties of the sensitive 
appetite there are two others, imagination and 
understanding, which belong to the intellect. 
The imagination, a less elevated power than 
the understanding, is of all the faculties the one 
in which the effects of original sin are most 
evident, and which is least under the control of 
reason. It continually escapes our vigilance, 
and like a restless child runs hither and thither, 

* Prov xxix 21. 


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415 


sometimes flying to the remotest corners of the 
world before we are aware of its ramblings. It 
seizes with avidity upon objects which allure it, 
persistently returning after we have withdrawn 
it from them. If, therefore, instead of con¬ 
trolling this restless faculty, we treat it like a 
spoiled child, indulging all its caprices, we 
strengthen its evil tendencies, and in time of 
prayer we shall vainly seek to restrain it. Un¬ 
accustomed to pious objects, it will rebel against 
us. 

Knowing the dangerous propensities of this 
power, we should vigilantly guard it and cut 
off from it all unprofitable reflections. To do 
this effectually we must carefully examine the 
thoughts presented to our minds, that we may 
see which we shall admit and w r hich we shall 
reject. If we are careless in this respect, ideas 
and sentiments will penetrate our hearts and 
not only weaken devotion and diminish fervor, 
but destroy charity, which is the life of the soul. 
We read in Holy Scripture that while his door¬ 
keeper, who should have been cleansing wheat, 
fell asleep, assassins entered the house of Isboseth, 
son of Saul, and slew him.* A like fate will be 
ours if we permit sleep to overcome our judg¬ 
ment, which should be employed in separating 
the chaff from the grain—that is, good thoughts 
from evil thoughts. While thus unprotected, 
bad desires, the assassins of the soul, enter and 
rob us of the life of grace. 

But this vigilance not only serves to preserve 
the life of the soul, but most efficaciously pro- 

* 2 Kings iv. 


416 


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motes recollection in prayer; for as a wandering 
and uncontrolled imagination is a source of 
much trouble in prayer, so a subdued imagina¬ 
tion accustomed to pious subjects sweetens our 
conversation with God. 

Section IX. 

The Government of the Understanding. 

We have now come to the greatest and 
noblest of the faculties, the understanding, 
which raises man above all visible creatures, 
and in which he most resembles his Creator. 
The beauty of this power depends upon that 
rare virtue, prudence, which excels all others. 
In the spiritual life prudence is to the soul 
what the eyes are to the body, what a pilot is to 
a vessel, what a head is to a commonwealth. 
For this reason the great St. Anthony, in a 
conference with several holy monks on the ex¬ 
cellence of the virtues, gave the first place to 
prudence, which guides and controls all the 
others. Let him, therefore, who desires to 
practise the other virtues with profit earnestly 
endeavor to be guided by prudence in all things. 
Not limited to any special duty, it enters into 
the fulfilment of all duties, into the practice of 
all virtues, and preserves order and harmony 
among them. Having the foundation of faith 
and charity, it first belongs to prudence to 
direct all our actions to God, Who is our last 
end. As self-love, according to a holy writer, 
seeks self in all things, even the holiest, pru¬ 
dence is ever ready to examine what are the 


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417 


motives of our actions, whether we liaye God or 
self as the end of what we do. 

Prudence also guides us in our intercourse 
with our neighbor, that we may afford him 
edification and not give him scandal. To this 
end it teaches us to observe the condition and 
character of those about us, that we may more 
wisely benefit them, patiently bearing with their 
failings and closing our eyes to infirmities 
which we cannot cure. “A wise man,” says 
Aristotle, “should not expect the same degree 
of certainty in all things, for some are more 
susceptible of proof than others. Nor should 
he expect the same degree of perfection in all 
creatures, for some are capable of a perfection 
wdiich is impossible to others. Whoever, there¬ 
fore, would force all lives to the same standard 
of virtue would do more harm than good.” 

Prudence also teaches us to know ourselves, 
our inclinations, our failings, and our evil ten¬ 
dencies, that we may not presume upon our 
strength, but, recognizing ouf enemies, persever- 
ingly combat them. It is this virtue also 
which enables us wisely to govern the tongue 
by the rules which we have already given, 
teaching us when to be silent and when to 
speak. Prudence likewise guards us against 
the error of opening our minds to all whom 
we may meet, or of making confidants of others 
without due reflection. By putting a just re¬ 
straint upon our words it saves us from too 
freely expressing our opinion and thereby com¬ 
mitting many faults. Thus are we kept con¬ 
stantly reminded of the words of Solomon : 


418 


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“ A fool uttereth all his mind ; a wise man 
deferreth and keepeth it till afterwards.” * 
Prudence also forearms us against dangers, and 
strengthens us by prayer and meditation to 
meet all the accidents of life. This is the 
jidvice of the sacred writer : “ Before sickness 
take a medicine.” f 

Whenever, therefore, you expect to partici¬ 
pate in entertainments, or to transact business 
with men who are easily angered, or to en¬ 
counter any danger, endeavor to foresee the 
perils of the occasion and arm yourself against 
them. Prudence guides us in the treatment of 
our bodies, causing us to observe a just medium 
between excessive rigor and immoderate indul¬ 
gence, so that we may neither unduly weaken 
the flesh nor so strengthen it that it will rule 
the spirit. 

It is also the duty of prudence to introduce 
moderation into all our works, even the holiest, 
and to preserve us from exhausting the spirit 
by indiscreet labor. We read in the rules of 
St. Francis that the spirit must rule our occu¬ 
pations, not be ruled by them. Our exterior 
labors should never cause us to lose sight of 
interior duties, nor should devotion to our 
neighbor make us forget what we owe to God. 
If the Apostles, who possessed such abundant 
grace, deemed it expedient to renounce the care 
of temporal things in order to devote them¬ 
selves to the great work of preaching and other 
spiritual functions,! it is presumption in us 
to suppose that we have strength and virtue 

* Prov. xxix. 11. t Ecchis. rviii. 20. $ Acts vi. 2, 3, 4. 


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419 


capable of undertaking many arduous labors at 
one time. 

Finally, prudence enlightens us concerning 
tlie snares of the enemy, counselling us, in the 
words of the Apostles, “to try spirits if they 
be of God, for Satan transformed himself into 
an Angel of light. ” * There is no temptation 
more to be feared than one which presents 
itself under the mask of virtue, and there is 
none which the devil more frequently employs 
to deceive pious souls. Inspired and guided by 
prudence, we shall recognize these snares ; we 
shall be restrained by a salutary fear from going 
where there is danger, but animated by a holy 
courage to conquer in every struggle ; we shall 
avoid extremes; we shall endeavor to prevent 
our neighbor from suffering scandal, but yet we 
shall not be daunted by every groundless fear ; 
we shall learn to despise the opinions of the 
world, and not to fear its outcries against virtue, 
remembering, with the Apostle, that if we please 
men we cannot be the servants of Jesus 
Christ f 


Section X. 

Prudence in Temporal Affairs. 

The virtue of prudence is no less efficacious in 
the direction of temporal affairs. It preserves 
us from serious, and sometimes from irremedi¬ 
able, errors which not unfrequently destroy both 
our material and spiritual welfare. To escape 
this double misfortune here are the counsels 

* 1 St. John iv. 1 and 2 Cor. xi. 14. t Gal. i. 10. 


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which prudence suggests : The first is that of 
the Wise Man, who says : “ Let thy eyes look 

straight on, and let thy eyelids go before thy 
steps.” * In other words, look at the enter¬ 
prise you are about to undertake, and do not 
rashly enter upon it. First recommend it to 
God ; then weigh all its circumstances, and the 
consequences which are likely to follow from 
it; seek counsel of just minds concerning it; 
deliberate upon the advice you receive, and 
reflect upon your resolution before acting upon 
it. In a word, beware of the four great enemies 
of prudence : precipitation, passion, obstinate 
persistence in our own opinions, and vanity. 
Precipitation admits no reasoning; passion 
blinds us ; obstinacy turns a deaf ear to all 
counsel ; and vanity ruins everything. 

It also belongs to prudence to observe a just 
medium in all things, for extremes are no less 
opposed to virtue than to truth. Let not the 
faults of a few lead you to condemn the multi¬ 
tude, nor should the virtues of a few lead you 
to suppose that all are pious. Follow the 
guidance of reason in all things, and do not 
allow yourself to be hurried to extremes by 
passion or prejudice. This latter failing is apt, 
moreover, to dispose us favorably towards what 
is old, and give us a dislike for what is new. 
Prudence guards us against this, for age can no 
more justify what is bad than novelty can con¬ 
demn what is good. Let us esteem things not 
for their age, but for their merit. A vice of 
long standing is only more difficult to eradicate, 

* Prov. iv. 25. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


421 


and a virtue of recent growth has only the fault 
of being unknown. 

Beware also of appearances. There are few 
who have not been taught by experience how 
deceptive these often are. Finally, let us be 
thoroughly convinced that as reflection and 
gravity are the inseparable companions of pru¬ 
dence, so rashness and levity ever accompany 
folly. Therefore, we must guard against these 
two faults at all times, but particularly in the 
following cases : in believing everything that 
is reported, for this indicates levity of mind; 
in making promises, in which we often bind our¬ 
selves beyond our means ; in giving, in which 
liberality often makes us forget justice; in form¬ 
ing resolutions which from want of considera¬ 
tion often lead us into errors ; in conversation, 
in which so many faults may be committed ; 
and in temptations to anger, which shows the 
folly of man. “He that is patient,” says 
Solomon, “ is governed with much wisdom, 
but he that is impatient exalteth his folly.” * 

Section XI. 

Means of Acquiring this Virtue. 

Not the least important means of acquiring 
this virtue is the experience of our own failures 
and the success of others, from which we may 
gather wise lessons of prudence. For this 
reason the past is said to be a wise counsellor, 
for to-day learns from yesterday. “ What is it 
that hath been ? The same thing that shall 


* Prov. xiv. 29. 


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The Sinners Guide . 


be. What is it that hath been done ? The 
same that shall be done.”* But a still more 
efficacious means of becoming prudent is humi¬ 
lity, for pride is the greatest obstacle to this 
virtue. “ Where pride is, there also shall be 
reproach,” the Holy Ghost tells us; “but where 
humility is, there also is wisdom.” f And 
throughout the Scriptures we are frequently 
reminded that God instructs the humble and 
reveals His secrets to the lowly. Humility, 
however, does not require us to yield blindly 
to all opinions or indiscreetly to follow every 
counsel. This is not humility, but weakness 
and instability, against which the author of 
Ecclesiasticus warns us: “Be not lowly in 
thy wisdom, lest being humble thou be deceived 
into folly.” J By this we should understand 
that a man must resolutely maintain the truth 
and vigorously support justice, not allowing 
himself to be carried away by contrary opinions. 
Finally, devout and humble prayer will afford 
us powerful aid in acquiring the virtue of pru¬ 
dence. For the principal office of the Holy 
Ghost being to enlighten the understanding 
with the gifts of. knowledge, wisdom, and 
counsel, the greater the humility and devo¬ 
tion with which we present ourselves before this 
Divine Spirit, the greater will be the grace we 
shall receive. 

* Eccles. i. 9. t Prov. si. 2. $ Ecclus. sin. 11. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


423 


CHAPTER XLI. 

man’s duty to his neighbor. 

M AN’S duty towards his neighbor is em¬ 
braced in the practice of charity and 
mercy. Read Holy Scripture and you 
will appreciate the importance of these 
virtues. The writings of the Prophets, Apos¬ 
tles, and Evangelists abound with counsels con¬ 
cerning them. God teaches us in Isaias that 
one of the duties of justice is charity to our 
neighbor. Thus when the Jews exclaimed : 
“ Why have we fasted, and Thou hast not re¬ 
garded ; have we humbled our souls, and Thou 
hast not taken notice?” God answers: “In 
the day of your fast your own will is found, and 
you exact of all your debtors. You fast for 
debates and strife, and strike with the fist 
wickedly. Is this such a fast as I have chosen? 
Is not this rather the fast that I have chosen ? 
Loose the bands of wickedness ; undo the bun¬ 
dles that oppress ; let them that are broken go 
free; and break asunder every burden. Deal 
thy bread to the hungry, and bring the needy 
and harborless into thy house. When thou 
shalt see one naked, cover him, and despise not 
thy own flesh. Then shalt thou call, and the 
Lord shall hear, and give thee rest continually, 
and fill thy soul with brightness.” * The pro¬ 
phet continues to the end of the chapter to 

* Isaias lviii. 



424 


The Shiner's Guide. 


declare the blessings with which God will re¬ 
ward this charity to our neighbor. 

Behold how highly the great Apostle extols 
the virtue of charity; how strongly he recom¬ 
mends it; how minutely he enumerates its ad¬ 
vantages. He gives it the first place among 
the virtues, and tells us that it is the bond of 
perfection, the end of the commandments, and 
the fulfilment of the law.* 

It would be difficult to say more in praise of 
charity. Certainly these words of the Apostle 
must suffice to make you love and practise this 
virtue, if you desire to be pleasing to God. 

Charity was also a favorite virtue with the 
beloved disciple. He frequently mentions it 
in his epistles, with the highest praise and com¬ 
mendation. And not only in his writings but 
in his discourses did he display the same de¬ 
votedness to this virtue. So frequently did he 
repeat to his disciples the touching words, 44 My 
little children, love one another,” that at last, 
as St. Jerome tells us, they became somewhat 
weary of always hearing the same, and asked 
him : Good master, why do you always give us 
this one command ? His answer, says St. 
Jerome, was worthy of John; “Because it is 
the command of the Lord ; and if you do this 
alone it will suffice.” f Without doubt, there¬ 
fore, he who desires to please God must fulfil 
this great precept of charity, not only in word 
but also in deed. “ He that hath the substance 


* 1 Cor. xiii. 13; Coloss. iii. 14; 1 Tim. i. 5; Rom. xiii. 8; Gal. 
v. 14 

t “ De Scriptoribus Eccle3.” 


The Sinner’s Guide. 425 

of this world/’ says St. John, “ and shall see his 
brother in need, and shall shut up his bowels 
from him, how doth the charity of God abide in 
him ? My little children, let us not love in word 
nor in tongue, but in deed and in truth.” * 
Among the works comprised in charity to our 
neighbor the following are the most important: 
advice, counsel, succor, forbearance, pardon, 
edification. These are so strongly linked with 
charity that the practice of them indicates the 
progress we have made in the practice of charity. 

There are Christians who pretend to love 
their neighbor, but their charity goes no far¬ 
ther than words. Others are willing to give 
advice, but no more substantial proof of their 
charity. Others will perform both these duties, 
but will not refrain from resenting an injury, 
or will refuse to bear with the infirmities of 
their neighbor, forgetting that the Apostle tells 
us : “ Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so you 
shall fulfil the law of Christ.” f Others, again, 
while not resenting an injury, continue to harbor 
it in their hearts and will not freely pardon it. 
Finally, many fulfil all these obligations, yet in 
their words or conduct they fail to give their 
neighbor that edification which is the most 
important duty of charity. Let us diligently 
examine our hearts and our actions, and learn t 
how far we fulfil the precepts of this virtue. It 
may be said that he who simply loves his neigh¬ 
bor possesses the first degree of charity ; he 
who gives him good counsel possesses the second; 
he who assists him in poverty or distress pos- 

* 1 St. John iii. 17,18. t Gal. vi. 2. 


426 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


sesses the third ; he who patiently bears an in¬ 
jury possesses the fourth ; he who freely par¬ 
dons it, the fifth ; and he who in addition to all 
these fulfils the duty of edification to his neigh¬ 
bor has attained the highest degree of charity. 

The works of which we have just been treat¬ 
ing are what are called positive acts of charity, 
which teach us what we ought to do for our 
neighbor. Besides these there are others, called 
negative duties, which indicate what we must 
avoid in our intercourse with our neighbor. 
Such are judging rashly, speaking evil, using 
abusive or insulting language, injuring his 
honor or reputation, and giving scandal by 
words or evil counsel. If you would fulfil the 
law of charity, avoid all these. 

To reduce to practice what we have said let 
your love for your neighbor be like that of a 
mother for her child. See with what devotion 
a good mother cares for her child ; how pru¬ 
dently she counsels him in danger ; how faith¬ 
fully she assists him in his necessities ; liow 
ingenious she is in regard to his faults, some¬ 
times patiently bearing them, at other times 
justly punishing them, or again prudently ignor¬ 
ing them. How earnestly she rejoices in liis 
prosperity; how deeply she grieves at his mis¬ 
fortune as if it were her own ! How zealous 
she is for his honor and advancement; how 
fervently she prays for him ; how cheerfully 
she denies herself to give to him; how utterly 
she forgets herself in her care of him ! Your 
charity would be perfect did it resemble this. 
Though you may not attain this degree, you 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


427 


must nevertheless aspire to it, for the higher 
you aim the more noble will be your conduct. 

You will doubtless urge that you cannot feel 
such affection for one who is a stranger to you. 
But you should not regard your neighbor as a 
stranger. Behold in him rather the image of 
God, the work of His divine hands, and a liv¬ 
ing member of Christ.* Hence St. Paul tells 
us that when we sin against our neighbor we 
sin against Christ.f Look on your neighbor, 
therefore, not as a man but as Christ Himself* 
or one of His living members; for though he is 
not so in body, he is truly so by participation 
in the spirit of Christ, and by the reward which 
is promised to us, for Christ assures us that He 
will consider as done to Himself all that we do 
to our neighbor. 

Think of the affection which ties of blood 
establish between creatures, and blush to let 
nature influence you more powerfully than 
grace. You will doubtless urge that your rela¬ 
tives are descended with you from the same 
ancestor, and that the same blood flows in 
your veins. Remember, however, that there are 
closer and stronger bonds uniting us as breth¬ 
ren in Christ. In God we have one Father ; in 
the Church one mother; and in Jesus Christ 
one Lord and Saviour. Our faith springs from 
the same source which enlightens all Christians 
and distinguishes them from the rest of men. 
The object of our hope is the same kingdom, 
where we shall have but one heart and one soul. 
Baptism has made us children of the same 

* Rom. xii. 5. 11 Cor. viii. 12. 


428 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


Father, brothers and heirs of the same inheri¬ 
tance. Oar souls are nourished with the same 
Food, the adorable Body of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, Who makes us one with Himself. Fin¬ 
ally, we are united in a participation of the same 
Holy Spirit, Who dwells in us by faith alone or 
by the union of faith and grace, communicat¬ 
ing to us life and strength. Behold the union 
which exists between the members of the same 
body, however diverse their functions, because 
they are animated by one soul! How much 
greater should be the union between the faith¬ 
ful who are animated by the same Divine Spirit, 
the Holy Ghost Himself ! 

But, above all, ever keep before your eyes the 
incomparable example of our Saviour’s love for 
us. Why did He love us with so much tender¬ 
ness, devotion, and generosity, if not to encour¬ 
age us by His example, and oblige us by His 
benefits faithfully to fulfil the precept which He 
has imposed upon us ? “ A new commandment 

I give unto you,” were His parting words to His 
Apostles on the night before He suffered ; 
“ That you love one another, as I have loved 
you.”* Having treated this subject at greater 
length in a work on “ Prayer and Meditation,” I 
would refer the reader to it for a more complete 
development of this virtue. 

* St. John xiii. 34. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


m 


CHAPTER XLII. 
man’s duty to god 
Section I. 

Mail's Duties in General. 

T HE third and noblest obligation of justice 
comprises man’s duty to God, which in¬ 
cludes the practice of the three theological 
virtues, Faith, Hope, and Charity, and of 
that virtue called religion, which has for its ob¬ 
ject the worship due to God. To love God with 
the affection of a dutiful son is the most secure 
way of fulfilling this obligation, as the most 
effective means of discharging the other duties 
of justice is to be to ourselves an upright judge, 
and to our neighbor a kind and watchful mo¬ 
ther. Consider, then, how a good son manifests 
his love for his father. How great is his devo¬ 
tion, his fear, his reverence for him ! How 
faithfully he obeys him; how zealously and 
disinterestedly he serves him ! With what con¬ 
fidence he goes to him in all his necessities ! 
With what submission he accepts his correc¬ 
tions ! How patiently he bears his reproofs ! 
Only serve God with such a heart, and you will 
faithfully fulfil this obligation of justice. 

But to attain these dispositions the following 
virtues seem to me indispensable : love, holy 
fear, confidence, zeal for the glory of God, 
purity of intention, the spirit of prayer, grati- 


430 


The Sinners Guide. 


tude, conformity to the will of God, humility 
and patience in tribulation. 

Section II. 

The Love of God. 

Our first duty is to love God, as He has com¬ 
manded us, with our whole heart, with our 
whole soul, and with our whole strength.* All 
our faculties must co-operate in loving and 
serving this great Master : the understanding 
by frequently thinking of Him ; the will by 
loving Him; the passions by turning their 
strength to His service; the senses and mem¬ 
bers by zealously executing whatever His love 
prescribes. 

As the “Memorial of a Christian Life” con¬ 
tains a treatise on this subject, we refer the 
reader to it for a more complete discussion of 
this virtue. 

Section III. 

The Fear of God. 

After love comes fear, which in fact springs 
from love. For the greater our love for another, 
the greater is our fear not only of losing him 
but of offending him. See how carefully a good 
son avoids anything that could displease his 
father, or a loving wife all that could displease 
her husband. This fear is the guardian of inno¬ 
cence, and for this reason we should deeply en¬ 
grave it in our souls, praying with David that 
the Lord may pierce our flesh with His holy 

* Deut. vi. 5. 


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431 


fear.* This pious monarch desired that even 
his flesh should be penetrated with this salutary 
fear, that, piercing his heart like a thorn, it 
might unceasingly warn him against all that 
could lead him to offend God, the object of his 
love and fear. It was for this reason that the 
inspired author wrote : “ The fear of the Lord 
driveth out sin.” f 

The effect of this fear is not only to make us 
avoid actions that are positively sinful, but even 
those that may lead us into evil or endanger our 
virtue. These words of Job : “I feared all my 
works, knowing that Thou didst not spare the 
offender,” J testify how deeply this sentiment 
was imprinted in liis soul. 

If we are penetrated with, this salutary fear 
it will be manifest in our bearing when we enter 
God’s house, and particularly in the presence of 
the Blessed Sacrament. We shall beware of 
irreverently talking or gazing about us as if we 
were unconscious of the dread Majesty in whose 
temple we are. 

The love of God, as we have already said, is 
the first source of this fear. Servile fear, how¬ 
ever, which is the fear, not of a son, but of a 
slave, is, in a measure, profitable, for it intro¬ 
duces filial fear as the needle introduces the 
thread. But we shall strengthen and confirm 
this sentiment of holy fear by reflecting upon 
the incomprehensible majesty of God, the se¬ 
verity of His judgments, the rigor of His jus¬ 
tice, the multitude of our sins, and particularly 
our resistance to divine inspirations. 

* pg. cxviii. 120. t Ecclus. 1. 27. t Job is. 28. 



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Section IV. 

Confidence in God. 

To fear we must also join confidence. Like 
■a child who fears no danger in his father’s pro¬ 
tecting arms, we must cast ourselves into the 
arms of our Heavenly Father, confident that 
those Hands which sustain the heavens are all- 
powerful to supply our necessities, to uphold us 
in temptation, and to turn all things to our 
profit. And why should we not have confi¬ 
dence in God ? Is He not the most powerful 
as well as the most tender of fathers ? If your 
want of merit and the number of your sins 
alarm and discourage you, fix your thoughts 
upon the goodness of God, upon His adorable 
Son, our Redeemer and Mediator, Who died 
to expiate our sins. When you are crossing 
a rapid stream, and the turbulence of the 
waters makes you dizzy, instead of looking 
down at the torrent you look above, and your 
steadiness is restored. Do likewise when dis¬ 
turbed by the fears we have mentioned. Do 
not dwell upon your unworthiness or your fail¬ 
ings, but raise your eyes to God and consider 
the infinite goodness and mercy with which He 
deigns to apply a remedy to all our miseries. 
Reflect upon the truth of His words, for He has 
promised to help and comfort all who humbly 
and confidently invoke His sacred name. Con¬ 
sider also the innumerable benefits which you 
have hitherto received from His paternal Hand, 
and let His bounty in the past inspire you to 
trust the future to Him with renewed hope. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


433 


Above all, consider the merits and sufferings of 
Christ, which are our principal title to God’s 
grace and mercy, and which form the treasure 
whence the Church supplies the necessities of her 
children. It was from a confidence inspired by 
such motives that the Saints drew that strength 
which rendered them as firm as Mount Sion, 
and established them in the holy City whence 
they never could be moved.* Yet, notwith¬ 
standing these powerful reasons for hope, it is 
deplorable that this virtue should still be so 
weak in us. We lose heart at the first appear¬ 
ance of danger, and go down into Egypt hoping 
for help from Pharao f—that is, we turn to 
creatures instead of God. There are many ser¬ 
vants of God who zealously devote themselves 
to fasting, prayer, and alms-giving, but few 
who possess the confidence with which the vir¬ 
tuous Susanna was animated, even when con¬ 
demned to death and led to execution. J Bead 
the Holy Scriptures, particularly the Psalms and 
the writings of the prophets, and you will find 
abundant motives for unfailing hope in God. 

Section Y. 

Zeal for the Glory of God. 

Zeal consists in promoting the honor of God 
and striving to advance the fulfilment of His 
will on earth, even as it is accomplished in 
Heaven. If we love God we cannot but be 
pierced with grief to behold so many not only 
neglecting to obey His holy will, but even act- 

* Pe. cxxiv. 1. t Ieaias xxx. 2. $ Dan. xiii. 


434 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


ing in a manner directly opposed to it. Full 
of this zeal was David when he cried out: 
“The zeal of Thy house hath eaten me up.” * 
Strive to imitate him, doing what you can by 
word and example, as well as by prayer, to in¬ 
crease the honor of God through the salvation 
of souls. Thus may you hope to receive that 
mark, mentioned by the prophet, which will 
sign you as one of the elect of God. f 

Section VI. 

Purity of Intention. 

This virtue, which is intimately connected with 
zeal, enables us to forget ourselves in all things, 
and to seek first the glory of God and the ac¬ 
complishment of His good pleasure, persuaded 
that the more we sacrifice our own interests in 
His service, the greater advantage and blessing 
we shall reap. For this reason we must exam¬ 
ine the motives of all our actions, that we may 
labor purely for God, since nothing is more 
subtle than self-love, which insinuates itself 
into every work, unless we maintain a constant 
guard. Many who now seem rich in good works 
will be found very poor at the day of judgment 
for lack of this pure intention. This is the vir¬ 
tue which our Lord symbolized when He said : 
“ Tiie light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye 
be single thy whole body shall be lightsome. 
But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall bo 
darksome.” \ 

We often see men in high positions lead irre- 

* Ps. lxviii. 10. t Ezech. ix. iv. % St. Matt. vi. 22 , 33. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


435 


proachable lives, carefully avoiding anything un¬ 
becoming the dignity of their station ; but, in 
many cases, what is the motive which animates 
them ? They see that virtue befits their posi¬ 
tion, and consequently they practise it, in order 
to discharge the duties of their office in a man¬ 
ner that will seem becoming, or to secure pro¬ 
motion to still greater dignities. Thus the 
principle of their actions is not the fear or the 
love of God, or obedience to His divine will, 
but their own interest. Such virtue may de¬ 
ceive men, but in the eyes of God it is as smoke ; 
it is only the shadow of justice. The practice 
of the moral virtues and the most severe mor¬ 
tifications are meritorious before God only in¬ 
asmuch as they are animated by His Divine Spi¬ 
rit. The temple of Jerusalem contained no¬ 
thing which was not either of gold or covered 
with gold. It is no less fitting that in our souls, 
the living temples of the Divinity, there should 
be nothing that is not charity or animated by it. 
Let us bear in mind that God values the inten¬ 
tion more than the action, and that the sim¬ 
plest work becomes noble when performed with 
a noble intention, while the greatest will be of 
little value if performed from an indifferent 
motive. 

By endeavoring to acquire this purity of in¬ 
tention we shall follow the example and coun¬ 
sel of our Saviour, Who tells us to love as He 
has loved *—that is, purely and disinterestedly. 
Happy is he who imitates this noblest charac¬ 
teristic of the divine love. Rapid will be his 

* St. John xiii. 34. 


436 


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growth in the likeness of God, and consequent¬ 
ly in His love, for resemblance usually begets 
love. Let us rid ourselves of human respect, 
and, keeping God ever before our eyes, let us 
not suffer selfish or worldly motives to mar the 
merit of our good works and rob us of their re¬ 
ward, which is Heaven and the possession of 
God Himself. 

As it is a difficult undertaking to acquire this 
virtue, we must earnestly ask it of God, espe¬ 
cially in the Lord’s Prayer, frequently repeating 
with fervor • “ Thy will be done on earth, as it 
is in Heaven.” Beg of Him to grant you grace 
to imitate on earth the purity and devotion 
with which the heavenly choirs bless and fulfil 
His adorable will. 

Section VII.. 

Prayer. 

Having m another work treated more fully 
of this subject, I would here only urge you to 
turn to God in childlike prayer whenever afflic¬ 
tions or temptations come upon you. Strive, 
moreover, to maintain the spirit of prayer, and 
thus you will preserve a continual recollection 
of God. You will live in His presence, and His 
love will abide in your heart. Finally, prayer 
will enable you most faithfully and frequently 
to testify your filial reverence and love for your 
Heavenly Father. 

Section VIII. 

Gratitude: 

Gratitude, which should be in our hearts and 


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437 


on our lips, is a virtue which excites us to praise 
God unceasingly foi all His benefits : “ I will 
bless the Lord at all times ; His praise shall be 
always in my mouth. Let my mouth be filled 
with praise, that I may sing Thy glory, Thy 
greatness all the daylong.”* Since God not 
only gives us life, but continues to preserve it, 
protecting us, lavishing blessings on us, and 
causing all creatures to serve our necessities and 
desires, is it not just that we should continually 
praise Him ? 

Thanksgiving, therefore, should be the first 
of all our exercises, and, according to St. Basil, 
it should form the beginning of all our prayers. 
Morning and evening, and at all times, we 
should render thanks to God for His many 
benefits, general and particular, of nature and 
of grace; but, above all, for the incomprehen¬ 
sible benefits of Redemption and the Blessed 
Sacrament of the altar. Let us bear in mind 
that in all these blessings He sought only our 
welfare. He could expect nothing; He desired 
nothing from us. Out of pure love for us He 
gave us all. 


Section IX. 

Obedience. 

Obedience is a virtue which renders us most 
pleasing to God, for it embraces the perfection 
of justice. We distinguish in this virtue three 
degrees: the first is obedience to the command¬ 
ments of God, the second to His counsels, the 

* Ps. xxxiii. 1, and lxx. 8. 


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third to His inspirations. The first is abso¬ 
lutely necessary for salvation ; the second facili¬ 
tates the observance of the commandments, for 
if we neglect the counsels, as far as our state 
permits, we risk violating the precepts. If, for 
instance, you avoid needlessly affirming the 
truth with an oath, you will more easily escape 
perjury. If you avoid all contentions you will 
assuredly secure peace and charity. If you re¬ 
nounce your own worldly possessions you will 
not be tempted to covet those of your neighbor. 
If you return good for evil you will be saved 
from the passion of revenge. Thus we see that 
the counsels form, the bulwarks which guard 
the commandments. If you would make your 
salvation secure do not be satisfied with observ¬ 
ing the commandments only, but add the prac¬ 
tice of the counsels as far as your state will ad¬ 
mit. In traversing a rapid river you do not 
cross it in a direct line, for you would be borne 
beyond the place at which you wish to land. 
You go higher up the stream to have the advan¬ 
tage of the tide, and thus secure a safe passage 
to the point at which you desire to embark. I)o 
likewise in spiritual things. Aim higher than 
is necessary, so that if you fail you may at least 
reach the mark of what is indispensable for sal¬ 
vation. 

The third degree of obedience, as we have said, 
consists in fidelity to divine inspirations. Good 
servants do not confine their obedience to the 
formal commands of their master, but promptly 
execute the least indication of his will. So 
should we act towards God. This is a subject, 


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439 


however, in which we are exposed to grave illu¬ 
sions by mistaking the whisperings of self-love 
or the suggestions of the devil for divine inspi¬ 
rations. Hence we must follow the counsel of 
St. John and “ believe not every spirit, but try 
the spirits if they be of God/’ * We have for 
our guidance in this respect, besides Holy Scrip¬ 
ture and the teaching of the Saints, this general 
rule : The service of God embraces two kinds 
of acts, one of which is of our own choice, the 
other ot obligation. However meritorious works 
of our own choice may be, we must always se¬ 
lect what is of obligation in preference to them. 
This is the teaching of the Holy Spirit: “ Obe¬ 
dience is better than sacrifices.” f God first 
requires of us the faithful fulfilment of His 
word. When our obedience in this respect is 
perfect we may follow the guidance of pious 
inspirations. 

This fidelity to the word of God comprises, 
first, obedience to the commandments, without 
which there is no salvation ; secondly, obedience 
to our lawful superiors, for the Apostle tell us, 
“ he that resisteth the power resistetli the ordi¬ 
nance of God ” ; % thirdly, obedience to the laws 
of our state, whether it be the priesthood, reli¬ 
gion, or marriage * and, fourthly, fidelity to 
practices which, though not of precept, greatly 
facilitate the observance of the commandments. 
For example, if you find, by daily reflecting 
upon your faults and by asking God to in¬ 
spire you with the most efficacious means of 
correcting them, that you lead a more regular 

* 1 St. John hr. 1. +1 Kings xv. 22. X Rom* xiii. 2. 


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life, that you acquire more control oyer your 
passions, and that your heart becomes more in¬ 
clined to virtue ; while, on the other hand, your 
neglect of these precautions weakens your vir¬ 
tue, throws you back into many failings, and 
exposes 3 T ou to the danger of relapsing into for¬ 
mer evil habits, you cannot doubt that God calls 
you to these pious exercises. Experience has 
taught you that they are the means which He 
has chosen to enable you to overcome your sins 
and to prevent you from committing them again. 
God does not, it is true, formally command these 
practices, but He strongly exhorts you to em¬ 
brace them if you would faithfully fulfil what 
He does command. Again, if you find that 
you are self-indulgent and opposed to every¬ 
thing which disturbs you, and that this love of 
comfort hinders your spiritual progress and 
leads you to neglect good works because they 
are laborious and painful, while you indulge in 
culpable actions because they are attractive and 
pleasant, you must conclude that God calls you 
to practise mortification and to overcome your 
appetite for pleasure by penance and austerities. 
Examine all your propensities in this way, and 
you will easily discern what will be most profita¬ 
ble to you. Be always guided, however, in this 
respect, by the counsels of your superiors. 

Thus we see that we are not always to choose 
what is best in itself, but what is best for us. 
Hence there are many excellent practices from 
which we would derive no advantage, either 
because they are above our strength or because 
God does not v call us to embrace them. Then 


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441 


let us not soar above our state; let us aspire to 
what will strengthen us, not to what will over¬ 
whelm us. “Lift not up thy eyes to riches 
which thou canst not have/’ says Holy Scrip¬ 
ture, “because they shall make themselves 
wings like those of an eagle, and shall fly 
towards heaven.”* 

Among those acts which we are free to do or 
not to do some are performed in public, others in 
secret. The former procure us temporal plea¬ 
sure or advantage, while the latter bring no 
such reward. In general prefer what is done 
in secret without any temporal recompense. 
You will thus preserve yourself from the snares 
of self-love, which, as we have already said, in¬ 
sinuates itself into the holiest actions. For 
this reason a certain man remarkable for his 
piety was accustomed to say: “Do you know 
where God is ? He is where you are not.” 
By this he meant that where self-interest has 
not penetrated, there only can God be sought 
and found. We do not counsel you to follow 
this rule so rigidly as to exclude good deeds 
that are public or profitable. Oh! no; that 
would be a reprehensible extreme, for very 
often there is great merit in overcoming the 
promptings of self-love to which these deeds 
expose us. Our intention is only to warn you 
against the artifices of self-love, that you may 
ever distrust it, particularly when it presents 
itself under the mask of virtue. 

These three degrees which constitute the 
perfection of obedience seem to be indicated 

* Prov. xxiii. 5. 


442 


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in these words of the Apostle : “ Be not con¬ 
formed to this world, but be reformed in the 
newness of your mind, that you may prove what 
is the good, and the acceptable, and the perfect 
will of God.”* The observance of the com¬ 
mandments is good; the practice of the coun¬ 
sels is acceptable j and fidelity to divine inspira¬ 
tions is perfect. When one has learned to 
practise these three degrees he has attained 
the perfection of obedience. 

Another virtue, which may be considered a 
fourth degree of obedience, is conformity to 
the divine will in all things. This enables us 
to accept from the hands of God, with equal 
submission, honor or ignominy, obscurity or 
renown, stripes or caresses, health or sickness, 
life or death ; for we look, not at our chastise¬ 
ments, but at Him who inflicts them through 
love of us. An earthly father loves his child 
when he corrects him no less than when he 
caresses him. Does his love bear any compari¬ 
son to the love of the Heavenly Father ? Let 
us realize, then, that all that comes from His 
hand is for our welfare, and we shall becomo 
so firmly established in submission to His holy 
will that He may mould us according to His 
good pleasure, as clay in the hands of the pot¬ 
ter. 

Thus we shall no longer live for ourselves, 
but for God. We shall be happy only in ac¬ 
complishing His divine will, in doing all things, 
in bearing all things for His glory, and acting 
at all times as His submissive servants. Such 


* Rom. xii. 2. 


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443 


were the sentiments of David when he said : 
“I am become as a beast before Thee, and I am 
always with Thee.”* A beast of burden goes 
not where he wills, nor rests when he pleases, 
but lives in complete obedience to his master. 
A Christian should live in like submission to 
the will of His Heavenly Father. 

Let us not forget, however, that this submis¬ 
sion to God, and this promptness in obeying Him, 
must ever be accompanied by prudence and 
judgment, so that we may not mistake our own 
will for that of God. In most cases let us dis¬ 
trust what flatters our own inclinations, and 
proceed with more confidence when we are act¬ 
ing contrary to our personal interests. 

This is the most pleasing sacrifice we can 
make to God. In other sacrifices we oiler Him 
only our possessions. In this we immolate 
ourselves. St. Augustine says that though 
God is the Lord of all that exists, yet it is not 
every one who can say with the Psalmist: “ 0 
Lord ! I am thy servant, ” f but those only who 
have renounced their own will and consecrat¬ 
ed themselves to His service. There is, more¬ 
over, no better disposition for attaining the 
perfection of a Christian life. As God in His 
infinite goodness is ever ready to overwhelm us 
with His graces when we offer no obstacle to 
His merciful designs, whoever is perfectly con¬ 
fined to His will can justly expect an abundance 
of His favors. Yes, God will treat him with 
great liberality, and will make him, like an¬ 
other David, a man after His own Heart. 

* Ps. lxxii. 23. + Ps. cxv. 6. 


444 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Section X. 

Patience in Afflictions. 

To arrive at perfect obedience to God’s will 
there is no more efficacious means than patience 
under sufferings of every kind. “My son,” 
says Solomon, “ reject not the correction of the 
Lord, and do not faint when thou art chas¬ 
tised by Him; for whom the Lord loveth He 
chastiseth, and as a father in the son He pleas- 
eth Himself.” * St. Paul quotes these words and 
develops them at considerable length in his Epis¬ 
tle to the Hebrews : f “ Persevere,” he says, 
“ under discipline. God dealeth with you as with 
His sons, for what son is there whom the father 
doth not correct ? But if you be without chas¬ 
tisement, whereof all are made partakers, then 
are you ba§tards, and not sons. Moreover, 
we have had fathers of our flesh for instruc¬ 
tors, and we reverenced them. Shall we not 
much more obey the Father of spirits, and 
live ? ” 

Since, then, it is the duty of a good father to 
correct and reprove his children, it is the duty 
of a good son patiently to endure the correction, 
and accept it as a proof of love. This is the 
lesson which the Son of the Eternal Father 
taught when He said to St. Peter: “The chal¬ 
ice which My Father hath given Me, shall I not 
drink it ?” \ Were the chalice of suffering of¬ 
fered us by another hand we might with reason 
refuse it; but the knowledge that it is sent by 
the wisest and tenderest of fathers should suf- 

* Prov. iii. 11, 12. t xii. 7,8, 9. 


% St. John xviii. 11. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


445 


lice to make ns accept it without hesitation. 
Nevertheless there are Christians, perfectly con¬ 
formed to the divine will in prosperity, whose 
submission vanishes at the approach of adver¬ 
sity. They are like cowards, who vaunt their 
courage in time of peace, but throw down their 
arms and fly at the first sound of battle. Life 
is full of combats and trials. Strengthen your 
soul, therefore, by salutary reflections, that in 
the hour of conflict you may be perfectly sub¬ 
missive to the divine will. 

Remember that the sufferings of this life 
bear no proportion to the rewards of the next. 
The happiness of Eeaven is so great, so un¬ 
speakable, that we would gladly purchase one 
hour of its enjoyment by the sacrifice of all 
earthly pleasures and by the endurance of all 
earthly sorrows. But we have not to buy it 
even at this rate, for, as the Apostle says, “ that 
which is at present momentary and light of our 
tribulation worketh for us above measure ex¬ 
ceedingly an eternal weight of glory.” * 

Consider also the different effects of prosper¬ 
ity and adversity. The former inflates us with 
pride ; the latter humbles and purifies us. In 
prosperity we often forget to whom we owe all 
that we are ; but adversity usually brings us to 
the feet of our Creator. Prosperity often causes 
us to lose the fruits of our best actions ; but 
adversity enables us to expiate our past failings, 
and preserves us against future relapses. If 
you are afflicted by sickness, consider that God 
has doubtless permitted this to preserve you 

* 2 Cor. iv. 17. 


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from the abuse you might have made of your 
health; for it is better to languish under bodily 
sufferings than gradually to destroy the life of 
the soul by sin. 

Certainly God, Who is so merciful, takes no 
pleasure in our afflictions, but in His love lie 
sends us these necessary remedies to cure our 
infirmities. Thus suffering purifies the stains 
of sinful pleasures, and the privation of inno¬ 
cent gratifications expiates unlawful indulgence. 
He punishes us in this world, that He may re¬ 
ward us in the next; He treats us with merci¬ 
ful rigor here to save us from His wrath in 
eternity. Heuce St. Jerome says that God’s 
anger against sinners is never more terrible 
than when He seems to forget them during 
life. It was through fear of such a misfortune 
that St. Augustine prayed: “Here, 0 Lord ! 
burn, here cut, that Thou inayst spare me in 
eternity.” Behold how carefully God guards 
you, that you may not abandon yourself to 
your evil inclinations. When a physician finds 
the condition of his patient hopeless he in¬ 
dulges him in all his caprices, but while there is 
any hope of recovery he rigidly restricts him 
to a certain diet and forbids him all that could 
aggravate his malady. In like manner parents 
refuse their children the money they have ac¬ 
cumulated only for them when they find they 
are squandering it in play and riotous living. 
Thus are we treated by God, the sovereign Phy¬ 
sician and most loving Father of us all, when 
He sends us trials and privations. 

Consider also the sufferings which our Sa- 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


447 


viour endured from creatures. He was bruised, 
and buffeted, and spat upon. With what pa¬ 
tience He bore the mockery of the multitude ! 
With what resignation he drank the bitter 
draught of vinegar and gall ! How willingly 
He embraced the death of the Cross to deliver 
us from eternal death ! How, then, can you, a 
vile worm of the earth, presume to complain 
of sufferings which you have justly merited by 
your sins—those sins for which the spotless 
Lamb of God was immolated ? He would 
teach us by His example that unless we strive 
for the mastery legitimately—that is, coura¬ 
geously and perseveringly—we shall not be 
crowned. * Moreover, let me appeal to your 
self-interest. Will you not at least make a vir¬ 
tue out of necessity ? You must suffer. You 
cannot escape it, for it is a law of your nature. 
Can you resist the almighty power of God 
when He is pleased to send you afflictions ? 
Knowing, these truths, and knowing that your 
sins deserve more than you can bear, why will 
you struggle against your trials ? Why not 
bear them patiently, and thus atone for your 
sins and merit many graces ? Is it not mad¬ 
ness to try to escape them, and thereby lose the 
blessings they can give, receiving instead a 
weight of impatience and misery which only 
adds to the load you must carry ? Stand pre¬ 
pared, then, for tribulations, for what can you 
expect from a corrupt world, from a frail flesh, 
from the envy of devils, and from the malice 
of men, but contradictions and persecutions ? 

* 2 Tim. ii. 5. 


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Act, therefore, as a prudent man, and arm 
yourself against such attacks, proceeding with 
as much caution as if you were in an enemy’s 
country, and you will thus gain two important 
advantages : first, the trials against which you 
are forearmed will be easier to bear, for “ a blow r 
which we have anticipated,” says Seneca, “ falls 
less heavily.” And this agrees with the coun¬ 
sel of Wisdom : “ Before sickness take a medi¬ 
cine.” * Secondly, by anticipating in a spirit of 
resignation the afflictions which God may send 
you, you offer a sacrifice like that of Abraham, 
about to immolate his son. Nothing, in fact, is 
more pleasing to God, nothing is more merito¬ 
rious, for us than the resignation with which we 
prepare ourselves to accept all the trials that 
may come upon us, either from the hand of God 
or the wickedness of men. Though these suffer¬ 
ings may never reach us, yet our good inten¬ 
tion will be rewarded in the same way as if wc 
had borne them. Thus was Abraham reward¬ 
ed as if he had really sacrificed his son, be¬ 
cause he was ready to do so in obedience to 
God. 

Be not afraid, therefore, of tribulations, for 
unto these are you called, f Remember that 
** you are as a rock in the midst of the ocean. 
The winds and waves of the world will beat 
against you, but do you remain unshaken. To 
do good and to suffer are, according to St. 
Bernard, the duties of the Christian life. The 
latter is the more difficult. Prepare yourself, 
then, to fulfil it with courage. 

* Ecclns. xviii. 20. + 1 St. Peter iii. 9,14. 


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449 


Let us observe, in conclusion, that theolo¬ 
gians distinguish three degrees in this virtue. 
The first consists in patiently bearing afflic¬ 
tions ; the second in desiring to suffer for the 
love of God; and the third in rejoicing to suf¬ 
fer for the same motive. In the patience of 
Job we find an example of the first degree. 
The ardent desire of the martyrs to suffer for 
Christ affords us proof of the second. The joy 
which filled the hearts of the Apostles because 
they were accounted worthy to suffer reproach 
for the name of Christ is a bright example of 
the third.* St. Paul had attained this sublime 
height when he gloried in his tribulations.f 
In this he was nobly followed by many of the 
early Christians, as we learn from his Epistle to 
the Corinthians, whom he tells of the grace 
given to the Macedonians which caused them 
to experience abundance of joy in much tribula¬ 
tion. \ This is the highest degree of virtue, 
but it is not commanded us. A faithful ser¬ 
vant of Christ will not, however, rest satisfied 
with the first degree, but will strive unceasingly 
to reach the second and even the third. What 
we have said on this subject must not be in¬ 
terpreted to mean that we.should rejoice at the 
sufferings of others. Oh ! no ; charity requires 
us to sympathize with others in affliction, espe¬ 
cially with our kindred and with the Church. 
The mortifications we impose on ourselves must 
not be extended to others, but should render us 
even more considerate towards them. 

t Rom. v. 3. $2 Cor. viii. 2. 


♦Acts v. 41. 


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CHAPTER XLIII. 

THE OBLIGATIONS OF OUR STATE. 

W E shall here briefly consider the impor¬ 
tance of fidelity to the duties of our 
state, which vary according to our posi¬ 
tion. The duties of one who governs, 
for example, are very different from those of 
one in subjection ; the duties of a religious are 
very different from those of the father of a 
family. 

According to the Apostle, those who govern 
must be vigilant in labor and in all things.* 
This watchfulness is generally proportioned to 
the value of the object and to the danger 
which surrounds it. How, there is nothing of 
greater value, and at the same time nothing 
more exposed to danger, than a soul. Conse¬ 
quently nothing requires greater vigilance than 
the care which must be bestowed by one who is 
charged with so important a trust. 

The principal duty of a subordinate is to be¬ 
hold God in his superiors aud to pay them 
prompt and entire obedience. If a monarch 
order me to obey his minister, do I not obey 
the monarch by obeying the minister ? In like 
manner when God orders me to obey my supe¬ 
riors do I not obey Him by submitting to them? 
This is the teaching of St. Paul: “ Servants, be 
obedient to them that are your lords, as to 
Christ.” f 

* 2 Tim. iv. 5. 


t Ephes. vi. 5. 


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451 


There are three degrees in this virtue. The 
first consists in simply doing what we are com¬ 
manded, the second in» doing it willingly, and 
the third in submitting our judgment to that 
of our superiors by “ bringing into captivity our 
understanding unto the obedience of Christ.” * 
Many fulfil the commands of a superior, but 
with reluctance. Others obey, but murmur 
and disapprove the command. Others, in fine, 
cheerfully obey and heartily approve whatever 
order they receive. 

Endeavor that such may be your obedience, 
bearing in mind the words of our Saviour : 
“ He that heareth you heareth Me, and he that 
despiseth you despiseth Me.”f Refrain from 
all murmuring against superiors, that you may 
not deserve the reproach addressed by Moses 
to the Israelites: “Your murmuring is not 
against us, but against the Lord.” J Be¬ 
ware of despising those in authority, lest God 
should say to them, as He did to Samuel : 
“ They have not rejected thee, but Me, that I 
should not reign over them.”§ Serve them 
with truth and sincerity, that you may never 
hear the terrible words of the Apostle : “ Yon 
have not lied to men, but to God,” || and that 
you may never incur the malediction which fell 
upon Ananias and Saphira for their duplicity. 

Let married women faithfully acquit them¬ 
selves of the duties of their household, dis- 
chargingall their obligations to their husband and 
children, that they may thus be free to attend to 

* 2 Cor. x. 5. t St. Lake x. 16. X Exod. xvi. 8. 

§ 1 Kings viii. 7. 3 Acts v. 4. 


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practices of piety without neglecting what they 
owe their family. That would be a worthless 
devotion which would occupy the time which 
should be given to domestic affairs. 

Let fathers of families reflect upon the terri¬ 
ble affliction which the high-priest Heli drew 
upon himself by neglecting to chastise his chil¬ 
dren. Sudden death came upon himself and 
his sons, and the priesthood was withdrawn 
from his family for ever.* As the sins of chil¬ 
dren are to a certain degree attributable to 
parents, the perdition of a child not unfre- 
quently involves the condemnation of the par¬ 
ents. How can he be called a true father who, 
having begotten his son for this world, fails to 
train him for the Kingdom of Heaven ? There¬ 
fore, advise and correct your children. Guard 
them from evil associates. Give them wise and 
virtuous masters Teach them to love virtue, 
and let them, like Tobias, be inspired from their 
infancy with the fear of God.f Do not gratify 
their whims, but cnrb their wills that they may 
become truly submissive. Be no less solicitous 
in providing for their spiritual than their cor¬ 
poral wants; for it is unreasonable to suppose 
that the duty of parents extends no farther 
than that of birds and beasts, whose only care 
is to feed and nourish their young. Fulfil the 
duties of a father in a manner becoming a 
Christian, a true servant of God, and thus you 
will bring up your children heirs to Heaven, 
and not slaves of hell. 

Heads of families with servants to govern 

„ * 1 Kings iv. + Tobias ii. 13. 


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453 


should bear in mind these words of the Apostle: 
“ If any man have not care of his own, and 
especially of those of his house, he hath denied 
the faith and is worse than an infidel.” * The 
members of their household form the sheep of 
the flock which has been confided to them, and 
for which they must one day render an account. 
Precious are they in the sight of the Lord, be¬ 
cause they have been redeemed by the Passion 
of His Divine Son, through Whose Blood every 
human being has received a nobility higher than 
all the honors of earth. 

A good master, therefore, will carefully en¬ 
deavor to abolish among his servants all public 
vices, such as quarrelling, gambling, swearing, 
and especially sins of impurity. He will see that 
they are instructed in the principles of their 
faith, and that they are enabled to observe the 
commandments of God and of the Church, 
particularly the precepts to hear Mass on Sun¬ 
days and holydays of obligation, and to keep the 
fasts and abstinence prescribed by the Church, 
unless they are lawfully dispensed or excused. 

* 1 Tim. v. 8. 


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CHAPTER XLIV. 

THE IMPORTANCE AND RELATIVE VALUE OF 
THE VIRTUES. 

A MERCHANT about to purchase precious 
stones should learn something of their 
relative value, if he would make a wise 
selection. In like manner a Christian 
should have some knowledge of the intrinsic 
merit of each virtue to aid him in making a 
proper choice. 

The virtues of which we have been treating 
may be divided into two classes, the first of 
which includes the more interior and spiritual 
virtues, the other those which are exterior or 
sensible. To the first belong the three theolo¬ 
gical virtues, which have God for their immedi¬ 
ate object; and the virtues which facilitate the 
accomplishment of our duty to God, such as 
humility, chastity, mercy, patience, prudence, 
devotion, poverty of spirit, contempt of the 
world, denial of our own will, love of the Cross 
and mortification, with many others to which 
we here give the name of virtue in the broadest 
acceptation of the term. These are called in¬ 
terior and spiritual, because their action is 
chiefly within the soul. Nevertheless they are 
often manifested to the world, as we see, for 
instance, in the virtues of charity and religion, 
which produce a number of exterior works to 
the praise and glory of God. 

The exterior virtues are fasting, mortifica- 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


455 


tion, pious reading, vocal prayer, chanting of 
the Psalms, pilgrimages, hearing Mass, assisting 
at the offices of the Church, with all the out¬ 
ward ceremonies and practices of a Christian or 
religious life. Though these virtues, like the 
others, have their seat in the soul, yet their 
action is always exterior, while the acts of the 
spiritual virtues, faith, hope, charity, humility, 
contemplation, contrition, or repentance, are 
often entirely within. 

There is no doubt that the virtues of the 
first class are more meritorious and pleasing 
to God than those of the second. “Woman, 
believe me,” said our Saviour to the woman at 
the well, “ that the hour cometh, and now is, 
when the true adorers shall adore the Father in 
spirit and in truth. For the Father also seeketh 
such to adore Him. God is a Spirit, and they 
that adore Him must adore Him in spirit and 
in truth.” * For this reason David, describing 
the beauty of the Church and that of a soul in 
the state of grace, says that all her glory is with¬ 
in in golden borders, clothed round about with 
variety.! And the great Apostle, writing to 
Timothy, says : “Exercise thyself unto godli¬ 
ness, for bodily exercise is profitable to little ; 
but godliness is profitable to all things, having 
promise of the life that now is, apd of that 
which is to come.” \ According to St. Thomas, 
godliness here signifies the worship of God 
and charity to our neighbor, while bodily exer¬ 
cise means fasting and other austerities. 

This is a truth of which even the pagan 

* St. John iv. 21, 23, 24. t Ps. xlir. 14. $ 1 Tim. iv. 7, 8. 


456 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


philosophers were not ignorant. Aristotle has 
written very little of God, yet in one of his 
works he expresses himself thus : “ If the gods 
take any interest in human things, as we have 
reason to believe they do, there is no doubt that 
they take most pleasure in what bears most re¬ 
semblance to themselves—that is, in man’s spirit 
or mind ; hence they who adorn their minds 
with a knowledge of truth, and their souls with 
the beauty and harmony of virtue, must be 
most pleasing to them.” The celebrated physi¬ 
cian Galen expresses the same thought. Writing 
upon the structure of the human frame, and the 
different relations and functions of its various 
parts, in which the wisdom and power of the 
Sovereign Artisan are particularly manifest, he 
is overcome with admiration, and, abandoning 
the language of science for that of religion, he 
exclaims : “ Let others honor the gods with 
offerings of hecatombs.* As for me, I shall 
honor them by proclaiming the greatness of their 
power, which so readily executes all that their 
wisdom ordains ; and their infinite goodness, 
which refuses nothing to their creatures, but 
abundantly provides for all their needs.” Such 
are the words of a pagan philosopher. Let us 
refer them to the true God ; and what more can 
a Christian say ? The great Galen unconscious¬ 
ly repeats the words of God’s prophet: “I de¬ 
sired mercy, and not sacrifice ; and the know¬ 
ledge of God more than holocausts, f The 

* Sacrifices of one hundred oxen or cattle offered by the pagans to 
their deities. 

t Osee yi. 6. 


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457 


hecatomb of the pagan may be considered as the 
imitation of the holocaust of the Jew. From 
the praise bestowed upon the interior virtues 
we must not conclude that the others are of lit¬ 
tle value. Though not so noble as the former, 
they are nevertheless most efficacious in acquir¬ 
ing and preserving them. For example, retreat 
and solitude guard us from innumerable sights 
and sounds which endanger the peace of our 
conscience, and imperil our chastity. We are 
all sensible of the importance of silence in pre¬ 
serving devotion, and avoiding those faults into 
which we are led by excessive conversation. “ In 
the multitude of words/’ says Solomon, “there 
shall not want sin.”* Fasting, when perform¬ 
ed in a state of grace, besides being a merito¬ 
rious act of the virtue of temperance, as it is at 
all times, expiates our sins, subdues the inclina¬ 
tions of the flesh, repels our enemy, disposes 
us for prayer, pious reading, and meditation, 
and preserves us from the excesses, quarrels, 
and passions awakened by inordinate indul¬ 
gence. * As for pious reading, the recitation of 
the Psalms, assisting at the divine office, and 
hearing sermons, it is evident that these acts 
of the virtue of religion are most efficacious in 
enlightening the understanding and inflaming 
the will with a desire for spiritual things. 

To acquire and preserve this precious vir¬ 
tue of devotion, which of itself disposes us 
for the practice of all other virtues, we must 
watch over ourselves with special vigilance. So 
little suffices to make us lose this delicate virtue. 


* Prov. x. 19. 


458 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


Frivolous conversations, excessive mirth, im¬ 
moderate indulgence at table, slight anger, 
unnecessary disputes, curiosity and eagerness 
to see and hear what does not concern us, be¬ 
sides many similar faults, while not grave in 
themselves, weaken, and sometimes destroy, the 
spirit of devotion. To preserve the intense heat 
communicated to it by the fire iron must be 
kept continually in the furnace, or, at least, it 
must seldom be withdrawn. Otherwise it will 
quickly resume its former temperature. In like 
manner, if w T e would keep our hearts inflamed 
with the fire of devotion, we must remain 
closely united to God by the practices we have 
mentioned. 

These reflections will show us the importance 
of the second class of virtues, and the relation 
which they bear to the others. The first class 
forms the end; the second are the means to 
attain this end. The first ma} 7 be said to be the 
health of the body ; the second, the medicine to 
obtain it. The first may be regarded as the 
spirit, the second as the body, of religion, but 
absolutely necessary for its welfare. 

By observing the counsels we have here laid 
down you will avoid two equally lamentable 
errors. One was that of the Pharisees in the 
time of Christ, and the other is that of certain 
heretics of the present day. The Pharisees, 
carnal and ambitious men, accustomed to the 
literal observance of a law then framed for a car¬ 
nal people, disregarded true justice and interior 
virtues, and were satisfied, according to the ex¬ 
pression of the apostle, with “ an appearance of 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


459 


godliness.” * Under a virtuous exterior they 
concealed a corrupt and wicked heart. The 
heretics of our day, endeavoring to avoid this 
error, fell into the opposite extreme, and preach¬ 
ed contempt for exterior practices. But the 
Catholic Church preserves a happy medium be¬ 
tween both, and, while maintaining the superi¬ 
ority of the interior virtues, recognizes the merit 
and advantage of those that are exterior, just as 
in a well-governed commonwealth each one en¬ 
joys the merit and prerogatives which belong to 
him. 


CHAPTER XLV. 

FOUR IMPORTANT RESULTS OF THE PRECEDING 
DOCTRINE. 

Section I. 

The Necessity of Exterior as well as Interior 
Virtues. 

F ROM the preceding principles we can de¬ 
duce four consequences of great import¬ 
ance in the spiritual life. The first is 
that a true servant of God must not be 
content to seek interior virtues only, though 
they are the noblest, but must also add the prac¬ 
tice of exterior virtues, both to preserve the 
first and perfectly to fulfil the obligations of 
justice. Neither the soul without the body 

* 2 Tim. iii. 5. 



The Sinner’s Guide . 


460 

nor the body without the soul constitutes man. 
In like manner true Christianity is neither 
wholly interior nor wholly exterior. The union 
of both classes of virtues is as necessary to the 
perfection of the spiritual life as the union of 
soul and body is to the perfection of the natural 
life. For as the body receives its life and dig¬ 
nity from the soul, so the exterior virtues re¬ 
ceive their life and merit from our interior dis¬ 
positions, particularly from charity. There¬ 
fore he who would become a perfect Christian, 
must remember that the interior and exterior 
virtues are as inseparable as soul and body. 
Let him embrace simultaneously soul and bod}^ 
the treasure and the chest, the vine and its sup¬ 
port—that is, the spiritual virtues and their de¬ 
fences, the exterior works of piety. Other- 
Avise he will lose the first, without which he can 
reap no profit from the second. Let him ever 
bear in mind these words of Holy Scripture : 
“ He that feareth God neglecteth nothing, and he 
that contemneth small things shall fall little by 
little.” * The plague of gnats in Egypt was suc¬ 
ceeded by that of flies. Beware, then, lest in de¬ 
spising the sting of gnats—that is, of small faults 
—you may fall a victim to flies—that is, to mor¬ 
tal sin. f 

Section II. 

Discernment in the Pursuit of Virtue . 

As men will sacrifice more for the purchase of 
gold than silver, and will do more to preserve an 
eye than a finger, so we, guided by the spirit of 

* Ecclcs. vii. 19, and Ecclus. xix. 1. t Exod. viii. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


461 


discernment, should make more effort to acquire 
the greater virtues than those that are of less 
importance. If we invert this order, we intro¬ 
duce confusion into the kingdom of our soul. 
Therefore, while recommending the exterior 
virtues of recollection, modesty, silence, and 
fasting, we would exhort you with no less zeal 
to the practise of the interior virtues of humil¬ 
ity, charity, prayer, devotion, and love of your 
neighbor. Exterior faults being evident to 
others, we consider them of greater moment 
than interior defects, and pay more attention to 
their amendment. Moreover, the exterior vir¬ 
tues, besides attracting more attention, excite 
more esteem than the practice of hope, char¬ 
ity, humility, fear of God or contempt for 
the world, though these interior virtues are 
more pleasing in the sight of God. “Forman 
seeth those things that appear, but the Lord be- 
holdeth the heart.” * Therefore, as love of praise 
is one of the strongest and most subtle passions, 
beware lest it cause you to seek the virtues 
which are most esteemed by men, to the neglect 
of the interior virtues, which are more accept¬ 
able to God. 


Section III. 

Virtues that are Less must sometimes yield to 
those that are Greater. 

When we are obliged to choose between two 
commandments we should follow the more im¬ 
portant. Observe the same rule with regard to 

* J Kings xvi. 7 . 


462 


The Sinner's Guide. 


the virtues. Whenever you are in doubt as to 
■which you should adopt, the less must give 
place to the greater, if you would avoid confu¬ 
sion. “The holy Fathers,” says St. Bernard, 
“ have established many practices proper to pre¬ 
serve and increase charity. While these practices 
attain this end they should be rigidly observed, 
but if at any time they conflict with charity, it 
is only just that they should be modified, or 
omitted by proper authority, for others which 
will more efficaciously promote this virtue. It 
would certainly be most unreasonable to observe, 
through a motive of charity, practices which 
charity itself condemned. Let such practices, 
therefore, be faithfully observed as long as they 
promote charity, but no longer.* In support 
of this doctrine the great Doctor cites two pon¬ 
tifical decrees, one of Pope Gelasius and the other 
of Pope Leo. 

Section IV. 

True and False Justice. 

A fourth consequence worthy of note is that 
there are two kinds of justice, one false and 
the other true. True justice is that which em¬ 
braces both the interior and the exterior virtues. 
False justice is that which is satisfied with a 
few exterior practices, while neglecting the in¬ 
terior virtues, such as love of God, humility, 
and devotion. This was the justice of the 
Pharisees, to whom our Saviour addressed these 
terrible words of reproach and condemnation : 
“ Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; 

* “ De Prtecepto et Dfcpen." c. iv. 


The Sinner's Guide. 


463 


because you tithe mint, and anise, and cummin, 
and have left the weightier things of the lav/, 
judgment, and mercy, and faith. Woe to you, 
Scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites; because you 
make clean the outside of the cup and of the 
dish, but within you are full of rapine and un¬ 
cleanness. Woe to you, Scribes and Pharisees, 
hypocrites; because you are like to whited se¬ 
pulchres, which outwardly appear to men beau¬ 
tiful, but within are full of dead men’s bones, 
and of all filthiness.”* Such is the justice so 
frequently condemned in the Scriptures. Speak¬ 
ing in God’s name, Isaias says : “ This people 

glorify Me with their lips, but their heart is far 
from Me, and they have feared Me with the com¬ 
mandment and doctrines of men.”f And again: 
“ Ofier sacrifice no more in vain : incense is an 
abomination to Me. My soul hateth your new 
moons, and your solemnities ; I am weary of 
bearing them.”J What is the meaning of these 
words ? Does God condemn acts which He 
Himself commanded under the severest penal¬ 
ties ? Does he condemn the practices of that 
beautiful virtue religion, the object of which is 
to honor and worship Him ? Assuredly not; 
but He condemns the insincerity of His people 
who content themselves with the exterior ob¬ 
servance of the law to the neglect of true justice. 
This He declares, for, after reproaching them 
with the mockery of their hollow ceremonies 
and practices. He tells them: “Wash your¬ 
selves, be clean, take away the evil of your 
devices from my eyes: cease to do perversely. 

*St. Matt. xiil. 23, 25, 27. t Isaias xxix. 13. % lb. i. 13,14. 1 


464 


The Sinner's Guide. 


Learn to do well; relieve tlie oppressed, judge for 
the fatherless, defend the widow, and if your sins 
be as scarlet, they shall be made as white as snow; 
and if they be red as crimson, they shall be white 
as wool. ” * 

In still stronger language the prophet again 
denounces exterior practices that are not actu¬ 
ated by interior virtue: “He that sacrificeth 
an ox, is as if he slew a man ; lie that killeth a 
sheep in sacrifice, as if he should brain a dog ; 
he that off ere tli an oblation, as if he should offer 
swines’ blood ; he that remembereth incense, as 
if he should bless an idol.”f Why, 0 Lord! these 
terrible words ? Why didst Thou repute as 
abominable those sacrifices which Thou hadst for¬ 
merly commanded ? “All these things,” I hear 
Thee say, “have they chosen m their ways, and 
their soul is delighted in their abominations.” J 
Behold the nothingness of exterior practices 
which are not animated by an interior spirit of 
virtue, but which are done solely according to the 
ways of men. “ Take away from Me the tumult 
of thy songs,” God says by the prophet Amos, 
“and I will not hear the canticles of thy 
harp.”§ Even more strongly does Ho reject 
these works, speaking through Malachias : “I 
will scatter upon your face the dung of your 
solemnities.”! Do not these suffice to show us 
how little value exterior virtues have when not 
animated by the love and fear of God, and by 
hatred of sin, which are the foundations of true 
justice ? 

* Isaias i. 16,17, 18. t lb. Ixvi. 3. $ lb. § Amos v. 33. 

J Mai. ii. 3, 


The Sinner's Guide . 


465 . 


Still another reason which causes God to re-, 
pel these external observances, comparing sacri¬ 
fice to murder, incense to idolatry, chanting 
to discordant noise, solemn feasts to dung, is not 
only the want of merit in these practices when 
devoid of an interior spirit, but the fact that they 
frequently inflate us with pride, excite in us 
contempt for others, and inspire us with a false 
security, a fatal confidence, which effectually 
hinders all amendment for one who is satisfied 
with his condition and does not desire a change. 

The prayer, or rather boasting, of the Pharisee, 
is a proof of this : “ 0 God, I give Thee 

thanks that I am not as the rest of men, extor¬ 
tioners, unjust, adulterers, as also is this publi¬ 
can. I fast twice in the week ; I give tithes of 
all that I possess.” * Does not this so-called 
prayer illustrate the three dangers against which 
we warned you ? His pride and presumption 
exclaim : “ I am not as the rest of men”; his 

contempt of others says: “I am not as this 
publican ”; and his false security shows itself in 
the thanks which he gives to God for the life lie 
leads, and in which he believes himself safe 
from all evil. 

Besides that gross hypocrisy which is the pre¬ 
tence of virtue made by those who know they are 
wicked, but who strive to conceal their vices; 
there is a more refined and more dangerous hypo¬ 
crisy, which affects many who deceive themselves 
as well as others by a false show of justice. 
Like the Pharisee, they imagine they are vir¬ 
tuous, but they are far from true holiness: 

* St. Luke xviii. 11,12. . * 


466 


The Sinner's Guide . 


Sucli hypocrisy is the result of that miserable 
piety which consists of external practices only. 
Solomon condemned it when he said : “ There 
is a way which seemeth just to a man, but the 
ends thereof lead to death.”* Further on he in¬ 
cludes this vice among the four evils which he 
says exist in the world : “ There is a genera¬ 

tion that curseth their father, and doth not bless 
their mother. A generation that are pure in 
their own eyes, and yet are not washed from 
their filthiness. A generation whose eyes are 
lofty, and their eye-lids lifted up on high. A 
generation that for teeth hath swords, and grind- 
eth with their jaw-teeth, to devour the needy 
from off the earth, and the poor from among 
men.” f 

You cannot fail to recognize among these 
the unhappy victims of self-deception, who, 
like the Pharisees, believe themselves pure when 
they are filled with corruption. 

This false confidence is so dangerous that 
there is much more hope for a hardened 
sinner who recognizes his condition than 
for one who thus deceives himself. Acknowl¬ 
edging our failings is the first step towards 
amendment. But how can a sick man be 
cured who maintains that he is well, and 
therefore refuses all remedies? For this reason 
our Saviour declares to the Pharisees that “ pub¬ 
licans and sinners shall go before them into the 
kingdom of Heaven.”j; And He utters the same 
truth still more forcibly in the Apocalypse : 
“l would thou wert cold or hot. But because 

* Prov. adv. 13. + lb. xxx. 11,13,13, 14. $ St. Matt. xxi. 81. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


467 


thou art luke-warm, and neither cold nor hot, 
I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.” * 

You marvel, doubtless, why a soul that is cold 
should be less displeasing to God than one that 
is luke-warm. The reason of this is because 
coldness, or the state of the sinner devoid of 
all virtues, is more easily cured than luke-warm- 
ness, which represents the man of few virtues, 
and these only exterior practices without the 
life of charity. The man who is loaded with 
sins can be brought to realize his malady, and so 
induced to take the proper remedies. But the 
man who is luke-warm rests on that false security 
which, as was the case with the Pharisee, leads 
him to believe that he possesses all the treasures 
of virtue. Though these soulless practices 
avail him naught, he will not realize his sad 
state, and consequently will take no measures 
for amendment. To know that this is the true 
meaning of the text, read what follows : “ Thou 
sayest, I am rich, and made wealthy, and I have 
need of nothing; and thou knowest not that thou 
art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, 
and naked.” f Do not these words again show 
the Pharisee who thanks God for His spiritual 
riches when he is poor, destitute of all virtue, 
inflated with pride, and blind to his own failings? 

There is nothing in Holy Scripture more 
frequently extolled than this true justice, no¬ 
thing more frequently condemned than this 
Pharisaical justice. Hence we have dwelt at 
some length on the excellence of the first and 
the danger of the second. For human nature 

* Apoc. iii. 15,16. + lb. 17 


468 


The Sinner's Guide . 


is the same to-day as it was in the time of the 
Prophets and the Apostles, whose teachings on 
this subject are contained in the Scriptures. 
We have the same inclinations, the same in¬ 
heritance of original sin, and consequently our 
vices and failings must be the same, for like 
causes produce like effects. 

The carnal Jews believed that they fulfilled 
their duty to God by a literal observance of 
fasts and ceremonies. Many Christians of the 
present day resemble them, for they hear Mass 
on Sundays, assist at sermons and the divine 
offices, daily recite a number of vocal prayers, 
and even fast on Saturdays in honor of the 
Blessed Virgin; and yet they are no less eager 
in the pursuit of worldly honors and in grati¬ 
fying their passions. They are no less subject 
to anger than others who observe none of these 
practices. They forget the obligations of their 
state ; they are careless of the salvation of their 
children and servants; they readily yield to 
feelings of hatred and revenge ; they harbor 
resentment for trifling offences, and refuse to 
speak to their neighbor ; they withhold the 
wages of their servants and defraud their cre¬ 
ditors. If their honor or interest be touched 
the hollowness of their virtue will soon be 
apparent. Many of them are profuse in pray¬ 
ers, but very sparing of alms. Others could 
never be persuaded to forego the observance 
of abstinence on Wednesdays and days of devo¬ 
tion ; but yet they indulge with impunity in 
detraction and calumny. They scruple to eat 
the flesh of animals which God does not pro- 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


469 


hibit them, but they do not hesitate to prey 
upon the honor and reputation of their neigh¬ 
bor, which God wishes to be sacred to every 
Christian. These and similar inconsistencies 
are frequent in our day among persons of every 
class. 

That you may profit by the preceding coun¬ 
sels, let each one study his own spiritual con¬ 
dition, that he may learn the remedies which 
will profit him most. There are general direc¬ 
tions which apply to all, such as those pertain¬ 
ing to charity, humility, patience, or obedience. 
Others, again, are special and apply only to 
certain classes and certain conditions. For 
example, it is necessary to recommend to a 
scrupulous person greater freedom of con¬ 
science ; to one who is lax, greater restraint. 
With a timid soul, inclined to discouragement, 
we must treat of the divine mercy, while a pre¬ 
sumptuous soul should be led to reflect on the 
divine justice. Those who give themselves 
wholly to exterior practices should be made 
cultivate interior virtues, while those who are 
entirely devoted to the latter should be taught 
the value of the former when animated by the 
proper dispositions. They will thus learn to 
appreciate the merit of both kinds of virtue, 
and therefore to avoid the extremes into which 
many fall who devote themselves so closely to 
one as to neglect the other. The interior virtues, 
however, especially the fear of God and a hatred 
of sin, must be particularly cultivated. Happy 
is he in whose soul these virtues are deeply 
engraved. He may build without fear upon 


470 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


such a foundation, for they are the beginning 
of true justice. But without them lie is a 
blind and miserable soul, however numerous 
his exterior practices of piety. 


CHAPTER XLYI. 

THE DIFFERENT VOCATIONS IN THE CHURCH. 

T HE virtues of the Christian life being very 
numerous, a good Christian does not 
necessarily give himself to all with the 
same ardor. Some prefer to cultivate the 
virtues which have God for their direct object, 
and therefore embrace a contemplative life. 
Others prefer the virtues which enable them to 
be most useful to their neighbor, and conse¬ 
quently choose an active life. Others, in fine, 
prefer the virtues which more directly benefit 
their own souls, and therefore enter the mo¬ 
nastic life. Again, as all virtues are means of 
acquiring grace, different persons adopt differ¬ 
ent means. Many seek to obtain it by fasting 
and like austerities ; others by almsgiving and 
works of mercy, and others by prayer and 
meditation. Of this latter exercise there are 
also different methods, which vary according to 
the character of souls or the subjects chosen. 
The best kind of meditation is always that from 
which one derives most profit and devotion. 

In this matter beware of a grave error into 
which pious persons sometimes fall. Deriving 



The Sinner's Guide . 


471 


much profit from certain means, many imagine 
that there are no others which lead to God. 
Consequently they would enforce the same 
methods upon every one, and think all in error 
who follow a different path. Thus, one who 
gives himself wholly to prayer thinks it the 
only means of salvation. Another, given to 
fasting and corporal mortification, sees no merit 
in any other practices of piety. Those who 
lead contemplative lives imagine that all who 
are engaged in an active life are in great danger, 
and even go so far as to hold exterior virtues in 
contempt. The followers of the active life, 
having no experience of all that passes between 
God and the soul in the sweet calm of contem¬ 
plation, do not sufficiently appreciate its value, 
and approve it only as far as it includes the 
practice of exterior works. One who gives 
himself exclusively to mental prayer is very 
apt to think any other form of prayer unprofit¬ 
able ; and, on the contrary, he who has devoted 
himself to vocal prayer will often argue that it 
is more meritorious because it is more laborious. 

Thus each one, impelled by ignorance or un¬ 
conscious pride, extols himself by commending 
the practices to which he is most given. Just 
as a savant will praise the science which is the 
object of his study, and depreciate the merit 
of all others, .so many oxtol one virtue at the 
expense of all the rest. The orator will tell 
you that there is nothing comparable to elo¬ 
quence ; the astronomer, that there is nothing 
superior to the study of the heavenly bodies. 
In fact, the theologian, the linguist, the philo- 


472 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


sopher, the commentator, will each in his turn 
offer good reasons to prove the pre-eminence and 
incontestable superiority of the science he pro¬ 
fesses. Similar, though less open, is the 
struggle between the advocates of the different 
virtues; each one would have his method pre¬ 
vail over that of others, believing that as it has 
proved profitable to him, it must prove so to 
all. Hence arise unfavorable judgments upon 
the lives of others, divisions and disputes 
among brethren. Such was the error of the 
Corinthians in the early ages of the Church. 
They had been favored with different graces, 
and each one extolled his own above the rest. 
The gifts of prophecy, of tongues, of interpret¬ 
ing the Scripture, of working miracles, were 
each preferred by those who had received them.* 
There is no more efficacious argument against 
this illusion than that of the Apostle, who 
declares that all graces and gifts are equal as to 
their source, for they proceed from the same 
Holy Spirit, though they differ in their object. 
“In one Spirit were we all baptized into one 
body,” f says the Apostle. Belonging thus to 
the same Head, we all partake of His dignity 
and glory, and in this we are equally His mem¬ 
bers, though there is a diversity of gifts and 
duties among us. This diversity should not 
cause us to look with disfavor on those who 
seem less gifted, for each has his value as a 
member of Christ. Thus the members of the 
human body have not the same duties, but yet 
each has its own peculiar power that another 

* 1 Cor. xii. + lb. 13. 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


m 


does not possess. All are important, because 
all are necessary for the general good. “ If the 
foot should say : Because I am not the hand, I 
am not of the body ; is it therefore not of the 
body ? And if the ear should say : Because I 
am not the eye, I am not of the body ; is it 
therefore not of the body ?” * In this manner 
the Apostle speaks to the Corinthians, and 
continues his comparison to prove that we must 
not be misled by our preferences to judge that 
whoever differs from us is not right, or that 
gifts differing from ours have not an important 
place in the designs of God. 

This diversity is due partly to nature and 
partly to grace. We say that it is due partly to 
nature ; for though grace is the principle of 
every spiritual being, yet it is shaped according 
to the condition of the soul in which it dwells, 
just as water takes the form of the vessel into 
which it is poured. Thus, calm, peaceful tem¬ 
peraments are more naturally suited to a con¬ 
templative life ; those of an ardent, energetic 
nature are better fitted for an active life ; while 
persons of strong, robust health find more 
profit in a laborious life of penance. Thus is 
the marvellous goodness of God made manifest. 
Desiring to communicate Himself to all. Ho 
has willed that the ways which lead to Him 
should be proportioned to the diversities in 
the characters and conditions of men. 

Grace is the second cause of this variety 
which the Holy Spirit, the Author of all grace, 
has created for the greater beauty and perfec- 

* 1 Cor. xii. 15, and following. 


474 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


tion of His Church. As the different senses 
and members are requisite for the beauty and 
perfection of the human body, so a diversity of 
graces is necessary for the complete harmony 
and beauty of the Church. If the faithful ail 
practised the same virtues, how could they be 
called a body which necessarily consists of 
different members ? “ If the whole body,” 

says the Apostle, “ were the eye, where would 
be the hearing ? If the whole were hearing, 
where would be the smelling ? And if they ail 
were one member, where would be the body.” * 

We find the same beautiful variety in the 
works of nature, where the Sovereign Creator 
wisely apportions all gifts or qualities so that 
the lack of one perfection is compensated by 
the possession of another. The peacock, which 
has a most discordant note, possesses a beautiful 
plumage ; the nightingale delights the ear, but 
has no charms for the eye ; the horse bears us 
where we will and is valuable in camp and 
field, hut is rarely used for food ; the ox is 
useful for farm and table, but has scarcely any 
other qualities to recommend him ; fruit-trees 
give us food, but have little value for building ; 
forest-trees yield no fruit, but afford us the 
necessary material for erecting our dwellings. 
Thus we do not find all qualities or all perfec¬ 
tions united in one creature, but that variety 
among them which constitutes the beauty of 
nature and binds them to one another by a 
mutual and necessary dependence. 

God has willed that the order and beauty 

* 1 Cor. xii. 17,19. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 475 

which we admire in nature should exist in the 
works of grace. For this reason He has en¬ 
dowed His Church with that variety of virtues 
which form a most symmetrical body, a most 
beautiful world, the most perfect harmony. 
Hence some of the members of this great body 
give themselves to a life of contemplation; 
others to an active life, to obedience or penance, 
to religious studies, to the service of the sick 
and the poor, or to other works of mercy. 

We find the same variety in the religious 
orders of the Church ; all aspire to the same 
end but pursue different paths. Some follow 
the way of penance ; others that of poverty. 
Some choose a contemplative life ; others an 
active life. Some labor in the midst of the 
world; others seek obscurity and solitude. 
The rules of one prescribe a certain revenue; 
those of another the strictest poverty. Never¬ 
theless they are all animated by the same spirit, 
all pursue the same end. This variety extends 
even to the members of the same order ; for 
while certain religious are engaged in the 
choir, others study in their cells ; others devote 
themselves to manual labor ; others hear con¬ 
fessions ; while others are engaged in the tem¬ 
poral affairs of the community. What, then, 
are all these but the several members of one 
body, the different notes of one grand harmony, 
the various elements which contribute to the 
beauty and perfection of the Church ? Why 
has the lute several chords, the organ numerous 
pipes, but to produce greater variety and har¬ 
mony ? For this reason the patriarch Jacob 


476 


The Sinner’s Guide. 


gave his son Joseph the coat of many colors,* 
and God commanded that the curtains of the 
tabernacle should be of violet, purple, and scar¬ 
let twice dyed, diversified with embroidery.f In 
both of these objects we behold an image of 
that beautiful variety which prevails in the 
Church. Let us, then, beware of judging others 
because their virtues are not ours, or of expect¬ 
ing all to follow the same path. This w r ould be 
destroying the body of the Church, rending the 
coat of Joseph. It would be exacting the duty 
of the eyes, or the hands, or the feet from all 
the members of the body. In the words of the 
Apostle if the whole body were the eye, where 
w r ould be the hearing ; or if it were the ear, 
where would be the eyes ? Can the eyes re¬ 
proach the feet for being blind, or the feet re¬ 
proach the eyes for not bearing the burden of 
the body ? No ; it is necessary that the feet 
toil on the ground, and that the eyes be above 
them, protected from all that could fatigue or 
sully them. Nor is the duty of the eyes, not¬ 
withstanding their repose, less important than 
that of the feet. The work of the pilot who 
stands at the helm is no less necessary than that 
of the sailors who manage the ropes and sails. 
We must not judge of an action by the labor it 
requires, but by its value and the effects it pro¬ 
duces. Thus, you would not say that the work 
of a laborer is more important in a common¬ 
wealth than that of the statesman w r ho wisely 
directs the government. 

If we seriously weigh these considerations we 

* Gen. xxxvii. 3. + Exod. xxvi. 1. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


477 


shall learn to respect all vocations. We shall 
not reproach the hand for not being the foot, 
nor the foot for not being the hand. We shall 
understand the truth of the Apostle’s words 
when he tells us that the beauty and perfection 
of the body result from the diversity of its 
members. 


CHAPTER XLVII. 

THE VIGILANCE AND CARE NECESSARY IN THE 
PRACTICE OF VIRTUE. 

S INCE the rule of life which we have pro¬ 
posed includes so many counsels and so 
many virtues, and since our intelligence is 
incapable of embracing a multitude of 
things at one time, it will be well to apply our¬ 
selves to the practice of one virtue which, in a 
measure, comprehends the rest, or supplies for 
all that may be wanting to them. Such is the 
virtue of continual vigilance in all our words 
and actions. 

An ambassador about to address a king 
studies not only what he will say, but how he 
will say it, and strives to regulate his gestures 
and his whole bearing so that he may present 
himself to the monarch in the most becoming 
manner. With more reason a Christian, who is 
the subject of the King of kings, must watch 
over himself at all times, whether he speaks or 
is silent, at prayer or at table, at home or abroad. 



478 


The Sinner 9 s Guide. 


He must measure all his actions, all his words, 
by the law of His Divine Master. 

We find this virtue of vigilance frequently 
recommended in the sacred Scriptures. “ Keep 
thyself and thy soul carefully.” * “Walk 
solicitous with thy God.” f That is, be careful 
to avoid everything contrary to His will. The 
many eyes of the mysterious creatures men¬ 
tioned in Ezechiel J also represent-the vigilance 
vfitli which we must guard our soul. 

Besides the many dangers to which we are 
exposed, the difficulty and delicacy of the work 
of salvation render this vigilance indispensable, 
particularly for one who aspires to the perfec¬ 
tion of the spiritual life. For to live in union 
with God, to abide in the flesh and yet to be 
free from its corruption, and to preserve one’s self 
from the snares of the world “without offence 
unto the day of Christ,” § require not only 
the assistance of grace but the greatest vigilance 
over ourselves. Follow in this respect the wise 
counsel of Seneca: “Always imagine yourself 
in the presence of one for whom you entertain 
the greatest respect, and refrain from all that 
you would not do in His presence.” || 

A no less salutary practice is to live as if each 
day were the last of our lives, and the evening 
were to bring us before the tribunal of God to 
render an account of all our actions. But the 
most efficacious means of all is to walk continu¬ 
ally in the presence of God, Who is everywhere, 
and to act in all things with the obedience due 

* Deut. iv. 9. t Micheas vi. 8, X Ezech. i. 18. 

§ Phil. i. 10. 11 Epist. 85. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


479 


to so great a Master, Who is the Witness and the 
Judge of all our works. Frequently implore 
the grace to avoid all that would render us un¬ 
worthy of His divine presence. Thus the vigi¬ 
lance which we here counsel has two ends : 
first, to fix the eyes of our soul upon God, and 
unceasingly to offer Him on the altar of our 
hearts a sacrifice of adoration, respect, praise, 
devotion, thanksgiving, and love ; secondly, to 
watch over all our thoughts, words, and actions, 
that we may in all things follow the guidance 
of His will. Though this vigilance is not easily 
acquired, nevertheless we must endeavor to 
practise it as uninterruptedly as possible. Cor¬ 
poral exercises are no obstacle to it, for with 
fidelity to the practice of it the heart will 
always be free to withdraw from them for 
awhile, and seek its repose in the wounds of 
Jesus Christ. 


CHAPTEE XLVIII. 


THE COURAGE NECESSARY IN THE PRACTICE 
OF VIRTUE. 


Section I. 


The Necessity of Courage. 


T HE preceding chapter furnishes us with 
eyes to discern our duty, and this will 
furnish us with arms or courage to por- 
form it. 

There are two obstacles to virtue which vigil¬ 
ance and courage will overcome. The first is 



480 


The Sinner's Guide, 


the difficulty of discerning what is good from 
what is evil; and the second is the labor of 
embracing the former and overcoming the lat¬ 
ter. Vigilance meets the first difficulty ; forti¬ 
tude the second. These two virtues are indis¬ 
pensable, for without vigilance we are blind, 
without courage we are helpless. 

The courage of which we are here treating is 
not the cardinal virtue of fortitude which calms 
our fears and strengthens us in affliction, but is 
rather a disposition of the soul which enables 
us to triumph over all obstacles to good. For 
this reason it ever accompanies virtue, sword in 
liand to vanquish all her foes. 

As the blacksmith requires a hammer to beat 
the hard iron and shape it according to his will, 
so do we need courage, the spiritual hammer, 
with which we overcome the difficulties in the 
road to virtue and fashion our souls after our 
divine Model. Without this quality we can 
no more pursue virtue than a blacksmith can 
work witliout his hammer. For what virtue is 
there that can be acquired without effort ? 
Consider them one after another, prayer, fast¬ 
ing, temperance, obedience, poverty of spirit, 
chastity, humility, and you will find that all 
present some difficulty springing from self-love, 
the world, or the devil. Therefore, if you sin¬ 
cerely desire to advance in virtue, consider the 
words spoken to Moses, by the God of all virtue 
and strength, as directly addressed to you : 
“ Take this rod in thy hand, wherewith thou 
shalt do the signs” * that will deliver My peo- 

* Exod. iv. 17. 


The Sinner's Guide . 


481 


pie. Be assured that as the rod of Moses en¬ 
abled him to effect the glorious deliverance of 
the children of Israel, so the rod of courage will 
enable you to work no less striking wonders, 
and to free yourself from your enemies, the 
world, the flesh, and the devil. Keep this rod, 
therefore, ever in your hand, for without it you 
will be utterly helpless. 

Avoid, too, an illusion into which beginners 
in the spiritual life frequently fall. Having 
read in certain books of the ineffable consola¬ 
tions of the Holy Spirit, and the joys of God’s 
service, they persuade themselves that the path 
of virtue is filled with delights, and therefore, 
instead of entering it armed to meet their ene¬ 
mies, they set out as if for a festival. Truly 
the love of God is full of sweetness, but the 
way which leads to it contains much that is 
bitter, for self-love must first be conquered, and 
there is nothing harder to nature than to fight 
against it and all that it claims. This is the 
lesson we should learn from the prophet who 
says : “ Shake thyself from the dust, arise, sit 
up, 0 Jerusalem.” * Shake thyself from the 
dust of earthly affections ; arise and combat 
before thou canst sit and rest. 

It is also true that God favors with ineffable 
consolations souls who faithfully labor for Him, 
and renounce the pleasures of the world for 
those of Heaven. But this absolute renuncia¬ 
tion is necessary, for while we refuse to sacrifice 
the joys of this life we shall seek in vain for 
the joys of the Holy Spirit. The manna was 

* Isaias lii. 2. 


482 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


given to the children of Israel only when they 
had consumed the food which they brought with 
them from Egypt. 

If, then, we do not arm ourselves with courage, 
our pursuit of virtue will be fruitless. Rest 
is attained only through labor; victory only 
through combat; joy only through tears; and 
the sweetness of God’s love only through hatred 
of self. For this reason the Holy Spirit, 
throughout the Proverbs of Solomon, so fre¬ 
quently condemns sloth and negligence, and 
so strongly commends vigilance and courage as 
the safeguards of virtue. 

Section II. 

Means of acquiring Courage. 

Solomon had reason to exclaim : “ Who shall 
find a valiant woman ? Far and from the utter¬ 
most coasts is the price of her.” * What, then, 
shall we do to acquire courage, which is of such 
importance and which is no less difficult than 
the other virtues ? 

We must first reflect upon the priceless merit 
of courage, for a quality which helps us acquire 
all virtues must be inestimable in value. 

Men are chiefly driven from the practice of 
virtue by the difficulties it presents. “ The 
slothful man saith : There is a lion in the way, 
and a lioness in the roads. The fool foldeth 
his hands together, and eateth his own flesh, 
saying: Better is a handful with rest than 
both hands full with labor and vexation of 


* Prov. xxxi. 10. 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


483 


mind.” * If, therefore, the obstacles to virtue 
discourage us and turn us from good, what is 
more necessary for us than courage ? And 
who will regret any effort to acquire an aid 
which will strengthen him to conquer the 
kingdom of virtue, and, after it, the kingdom 
of Heaven ? “ From the days of John the 

Baptist until now the kingdom of Heaven suf- 
fereth violence, and the violenfrbear it away.” f 
Finally, courage conquers self-love, which gives 
place to the love of God, or rather to God Him¬ 
self, “ for he that abideth in charity abideth in 
God, and God in him.” \ 

Stimulate your courage, moreover, by con¬ 
templating the fortitude of so many Christians 
who cheerfully embraced poverty, mortification, 
humiliations, for love of Christ. Many of them 
so loved suffering that they sought it as eagerly 
as the worldling seeks pleasure, or as the mer¬ 
chant seeks gain, preferring poverty to riches, 
hunger to abundance, labors and the cross to 
rest and comfort. The Church daily presents 
for our consideration such heroic souls, not only 
that we may worthily honor them, but that we 
may be excited to imitate them. Consider, too, 
the greatness of the courage, the heroism dis¬ 
played by the martyrs. There is no kind of tor¬ 
ture or suffering which they did not endure. 
Some were burned alive; others were torn to 
pieces by wild beasts ; many had their flesh torn 
from their bodies with red-hot pincers ; some 
were cast into caldrons of boiling oil; others 

* Prov. xxvi. 13, and Eccles. iv. 5, 6. 

X 1 St. John iv. 16. 


t St. Matt. xi. 12. 


484 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


were compelled to walk barefoot on burning 
coals, or were tied to the tails of wild horses 
and dragged through thickets and briars or 
over sharp stones. It would be almost im¬ 
possible to enumerate all the tortures invented 
by the malice of devils to conquer the courage 
of the servants of God. We read of a martyr 
in Nicodemia who was scourged so cruelly that 
every blow brought away a piece of the flesh, 
leaving the bones exposed to view, and into 
these cruel wounds the executioner poured salt 
and vinegar; and, finding that life was not yet 
extinct, they laid the mangled body upon a slow 
fire, turning it from side to side with iron hooks 
until the soul took its flight to God. Bead the 
lives of these brave soldiers of Christ, and your 
courage will be reanimated; you will grow 
ashamed of the little you have done for God or 
your soul. 

They were human as well as we are. Their 
bodies were as sensitive as ours to sufferings. 
They had the same God to assist them; they 
hoped for the same reward to which we aspire. 
If eternal life cost them so much, shall we refuse 
to mortify the irregular desires of the flesh to 
attain this blessed end ? Shall we not have the 
courage to fast one day, when we see them ah 
most dying of hunger ? Shall we refuse to re¬ 
main for a short time on our knees in prayer, 
when they continued to pray for their enemies 
during long hours of agony, even when nailed 
to the cross ? Shall we refuse to resist our in¬ 
clinations and passions, when they unhesitatingly 
abandoned their bodies to the tortures of the 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


485 


executioner ? They endured without murmur¬ 
ing the solitude and suffering of dark prisons, 
and shall we refuse our soul a few moments 
solitude in prayer each day to amend the past 
and to prepare for the future. If they sub¬ 
mitted their bodies to the rack, to the wheel, 
to fire and the sword, shall we refuse to chastise 
ours for the love of Christ ? 

If these examples do not move you, lift your 
eyes to the Cross and contemplate Him Who 
hangs there in torments for love of you. “ Think 
diligently,” says the Apostle, “ upon Him that 
endured such opposition, that you be not wea¬ 
ried, fainting in your minds.” * It is a marvel¬ 
lous example in every respect. For if we con¬ 
sider His sufferings, none could be greater ; if we 
consider the Victim, none could be more noble ; 
if we consider the motive, it was the high¬ 
est degree of love ; for He Who was Innocence 
itself suffered and died to redeem us from our 
iniquities. The heavens were filled with awe 
at the spectacle; the earth trembled; the 
rocks were rent; all nature was moved. Will 
man alone be insensible and refuse to imitate 
the example which God came on earth to give ? 
Shall we be so ungrateful, so slothful, so pre¬ 
sumptuous as to wish to win Heaven by a life 
of luxurious ease when suffering and labor were 
the portion of God on earth and of all His fol¬ 
lowers. Hear the words in which St. Paul de¬ 
scribes the sufferings of those faithful servants 
of Christ, the Prophets, the Apostles, the Mar¬ 
tyrs, the Confessors, the Virgins, and all the 

* Heb. xii. 3. 


486 


The Sinner’s Guide . 


Saints: “Others had trial of mockeries and 
stripes, moreover also of bands and prisons. 
They were stoned ; they were cut asunder ; they 
were tempted ; they were put to death by the 
sword; they wandered about in sheep-skins, in 
goat-skins, being in want distressed, afflicted: 
of whom the world was not worthy ; wandering 
in deserts, in mountains, and in dens, and in 
caves of the earth.” * If such were the lives of 
the Saints and of Him who was the Saint of 
saints, what reason have you to think that you 
can reach Heaven by the way of pleasure and 
amusement ? If you would share their glory, 
you must participate in their labors. If you 
would reign with them in Heaven, you must 
suffer with them on earth. 

May these considerations reanimate your cou¬ 
rage, dear Christian, and stimulate you to fol¬ 
low, as far as your grace will enable you, such 
bright examples. 

We cannot, therefore, better conclude this 
work than in the words of our Saviour : “If 
any man will come after Me, let him deny him¬ 
self, and take up his cross daily and follow Me.” f 
In this brief counsel you will find a summary 
of His divine doctrine, and the secret of attain¬ 
ing the perfection taught in the Gospel. Thus, 
while the body may be a prey to hardships and 
labors, the soul will enjoy a paradise of peace, 
and this interior sweetness will enable you cheer¬ 
fully to embrace all the sufferings of the exte¬ 
rior life. 

* Heb. xi. 36, 37, 33. t St. Luke ix. 23. 

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